first 

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PRINCETON,  N.  J. 


Presented    by~V''r<£y5\C\ar-\V   \^<:\W 


or"^. 


BX  9211  .087^73  1901 
-Itil:   '^^"''^^   Francis,  185, 

First  Presbyterian  Church 
Cranford._ij.j. 


REV.    C.l^ORGK    FRANCIS    GREENK 


THE  FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH 


OF 


CRANFORD,    N.    J, 


A  BRIEF  HISTORY  OF  ITS  FIRST 
HALF  CENTURY 


George   Francis   Greene 

MiJiister  of  the  C/iiirch 
•^   4*   -^ 


Issued  in  Connection  ivtt/t  the  Celebration  of  the   Church's 

Semi-Cent e7iai-yy  June  Q-12,  iqoi,  by  Request  of  the 

Session  and  the  Board  of  Trustees 


4.    ^    4. 


RAHWAY,  N.  J. 

THE   MERSHON  COMPANY 
publishers 


THE     MERSHON     COMPANY     PRESS, 
RAHWAY,     N.     J. 


THE    AUTHOR    AFFECTIONATELY    DEDICATES    THIS 

BOOK    TO    THE    PEOPLE    OF   THE    PARISH 

IN    WHICH    HE    MINISTERS. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

I.  The  First  Eighteen  Years,      .         .         .         .  i 

II.     1S69  TO  1893, 17 

III.  The  New  Church,       ....        •        •  21 

IV.  Societies  and  Organizations,        ...  27 
V.     Beneficence, 32 

VI.     Revivals, 3^ 

VII.     Faithful  unto  Death 40 

VIII.     The  Jubilee, 45 

IX.     The  Future, 53 

Appendix      I.     List  of  Elders,  etc.,        .         .         •         57 
Appendix    II.     List  of  Deacons,  etc.,  .        .        .58 

Appendix  III.     List  of  Trustees,  etc.,    ...         59 
Appendix  IV.     Membership  Roll  in  1901,    .         .        .60 
Appendix    V.     The    Twentieth     Century     Presby- 
terian Church,  .         .         .         .66 
Appendix  VI.     The  Suburban  Church,    ...         73 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Fro7itispiece :   Rev.  George  Francis  Greene. 
The  Second  Edifice  in  1876,  .        .     Facing  page  14 


The  Church  in  1901,    .... 
Church's  Interior  in  Jubilee  Week,    . 
Rev.  William  H.  Roberts,  D.  D.,  LL.  D., 

Rev.  James  F.  Riggs,  D.  D 

Pastor  and  Session,     .... 

The  Board  of  Trustees, 

Primary  Class  of  Sunday  School,  1901, 


20 

2% 
36 
50 
56 
5S 
72 


ANNIVERSARY   HYMN. 


1.  Our  fervent  thanks  to  Thee,  O  Lord, 
We  give  this  day,  with  one  accord — 
In  joyous  psalm  our  voice  we  raise, 
In  faith  and  love  to  sing  Thy  praise. 

2.  Thine  is  the  thought  beneath  each  plan 
To  make  Thy  Message  known  to  man. 
With  Thee  is  all  true  work  begun; 
From  Thee  the  crown  for  vict'ries  won. 

3.  They  better  build  than  they  can  know 
Who  build  for  Christ,  and  fear  no  foe; 
Bethels  they  shape  that  shall  endure, 
Whose  faith  is  firm,  whose  hope  is  sure. 

4.  Their  thought  with  each  new  age  revives— 
They  vanish,  but  their  work  survives; 
While  stones  once  mute  tell  of  their  worth 
To  children  of  a  later  birth. 

5.  Most  gracious,  great,  and  holy  God, 
Lead  us  in  paths  our  fathers  trod; 
Help  us  to  build  on  that  great  Stone 
They  set— true  Corner,  Christ  alone  ! 

6.  On  this  our  Zion's  natal  day 

Pour  out  Thy  Spirit,  Lord,  w^e  pray. 
And  Thine  be  glory,  and  the  power,— 
Thou  Three-in-One,— in  this  glad  hour. 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH. 


THE    FIRST    EIGHTEEN    YEARS. 

Not  in  pulling  down,  but  in  building  up,  does  man  find 
pure  joy. — Goethe. 

In  185 1  Cranford — then  known  as  Craneville — 
was  a  tiny  hamlet,  and  the  space  now  covered  with 
pretty  suburban  villas  was  principally  marked  by 
groves,  meadows,  and  orchards.  The  river  with  its 
crooked  course,  and  the  old  mill  near  the  present 
Union  Avenue,  gave  picturesqueness  to  the  local- 
ity, but  probably  few  of  the  residents  of  that  day 
dreamed  of  the  changes  that  the  following  half- 
century  was  to  witness.  Those  whose  memories  ex- 
tended backward  a  few  years  were  able  to  recall 
the  time  when  the  stagecoach  or  farmer's  wagon 
was  the  only  means  of  visiting  the  adjacent  cities. 
The  railroad  was  a  recent  feature,  and  the  day  of 
giant  locomotives  and  hourly  trains  to  the  me- 
tropolis had  not  dawned.  Travelers  to  New  York 
were  required  to  take  a  ferry  at  Elizabethport,  the 


12  HISTORY  OF  THE 

eastern  terminus  of  the  road,  for  their  destination. 
The  place  was  strictly  a  rural  community. 

But  our  chief  concern  is  in  the  origin  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  of  the  town,  and  the  sources 
of  that  event  of  fifty  years  ago  are  to  be  traced 
through  a  period  prior  to  that  date.  There  are 
those  still  living  who  remember  the  old  school- 
house  which  stood  for  many  years  on  the  corner 
of  the  present  Union  Avenue  and  the  old  Westfield 
Road — not  far  from  the  present  residence  of  Mr. 
John  C.  Denman.  For  more  than  a  century  a 
schoolhouse  stood  on  that  spot.  The  late  Mrs. 
John  E.  Matthews  of  Newark,  who  was  born  in 
the  Denman  homestead,  but  a  stone's  throw  away 
from  the  site,  possessed  records  showing  that  a 
schoolhouse  stood  there  prior  to  the  Revolution. 
This  ancient  building  was  succeeded  by  a  second, 
and  that  in  turn  by  a  third,  all  on  the  same  corner; 
and  in  all  of  them  religious  services  were  held  from 
time  to  time  on  the  Sabbath.  Once  the  eccentric 
though  renowned  Methodist  itinerant,  Lorenzo 
Dow, — it  was  about  1820, — passed  through  the 
place  and  preached  in  the  schoolhouse.  But  the 
schoolhouse  with  which  we  are  concerned  was  the 
third  and  last  of  the  series  we  have  mentioned.  In 
that  little  building  our  Church  had  its  birth. 
There,  from  1832  until  1851,  a  Sunday  School  met 
weekly;  its  principal  superintendents  during  that 
period  being  in  succession  Andrew  H.  Clark,  Isaac 
Miller,  Josiah  Crane,  Patrick  Clark,  Isaac  H.  Pier- 
son,  and  S.  W.  Thompson.     Occasionally  on  the 


FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  13 

Sabbath  a  preaching  service  would  be  held  in  con- 
nection with  the  Sabbath  School,  conducted  by  the 
pastor  of  some  neighboring  church. 

On  the  24th  of  January,  1850,  an  agreement  was 
entered  into  by  fifty  persons,  under  the  leadership 
of  Josiah  Crane,  to  build  a  house  of  public  worship 
in  Craneville,  various  sums  of  money  being 
pledged  for  the  work.  A  public  meeting  followed, 
July  6,  1850,  at  the  house  of  John  C.  Denman,  at 
which  nine  persons  were  present;  John  C.  Denman 
in  the  chair,  and  John  E.  Matthews  secretary.  A 
second  meeting  occurred  in  the  schoolhouse, 
July  13  following,  when  a  building  committee  of 
the  following  members  was  appointed:  David 
Miller,  John  G.  Crane,  Jacob  Miller,  Jr.,  Josiah 
Crane,  and  S.  W.  Thompson.  The  work  of  build- 
ing was  prosecuted  with  promptness  and  energy, 
and  on  March  3,  185 1,  the  little  congregation  met 
for  the  first  time  in  the  new  church.  Though  the 
seating  capacity  of  the  new  building  was  not  over 
eighty  or  one  hundred,  there  was  doubtless  great 
pride  felt  in  it  by  the  builders.  The  comfort  and 
joy  of  the  birds  do  not  depend  always  upon  the 
size  of  their  nest! 

While  the  dedication  of  the  first  church  edifxce 
took  place  a  few  months  earlier,  the  Church  was 
not  completely  organized  until  June  26,  185 1.  With 
strict  accuracy  that  was  the  birthday  of  the  First 
Presbyterian  Church  of  Cranford.  The  original 
title  of  the  Church  was  "  The  First  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Craneville,  Essex  County,  N.  J."    After 


14  HISTORY  OF  THE 

the  name  of  the  village  was  changed  to  Cranford, 
in  1869,  the  Church  assumed  its  present  title.  On 
the  day  mentioned,  at  10.30  a.  m.,  the  first  meet- 
ing of  the  Session  of  the  new  church  was  held,  the 
Rev.  Samuel  H.  Coxe,  D.  D.,  then  pastor  of  the 
First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Brooklyn,  being 
moderator,  on  invitation.  The  organization  of  the 
Church  was  then  effected,  under  the  direction  of  a 
commission  of  the  Presbytery  of  Brooklyn  ("  New 
School  "),  consisting  of  the  Rev.  Samuel  T.  Spear, 
chairman;  Rev.  S.  H.  Coxe,  D.  D.;  and  Messrs. 
Nathan  Lane  and  A.  B.  Conger.  The  follow- 
ing were  elected  ruling  elders:  Samuel  W.  Thomp- 
son, Josiah  Crane,  and  William  Crane.  John  G. 
Crane  and  David  Miller  were  elected  deacons. 
These  were  elected  trustees:  John  Miller,  president; 
Josiah  Crane,  Jr.,  secretary;  David  Miller,  Jr.;  John 
Dunham,  John  G.  Crane,  Jacob  Miller,  Jr.,  and 
Moses  T.  Crane.  The  following  twenty-two  per- 
sons composed  the  membership  of  the  new  Church, 
all  received  by  letter  from  the  Presbyterian  Church 
of  Westfield:  Mr.  ard  Mrs.  Samuel  W.  Thompson, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Josiah  Crane,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William 
Crane,  Air.  and  Mrs.  Josiah  Crane,  Jr.;  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  John  G.  Crane,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  David  Miller, 
Mrs.  G.  Baker,  Mrs.  John  R.  Miller,  Miss  Arianna 
Thompson,  Miss  Sophia  C.  Thompson,  John 
Miller,  Simeon  Frazee,  Mrs.  Francis  Pease,  Charles 
Clark,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Otis  WoodrufT.  Of  these 
original  members  not  one  is  now  connected  with 
the  Church. 


FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  15 

The  modest  little  church  edifice  dedicated  in  the 
spring  of  1851  stood  in  the  center  of  what  is  now 
Alden  Street,  midway  between  Union  Avenue  and 
North  Avenue.  It  was  occupied  for  church  serv- 
ices and  Sunday  School  from  1851  until  the  erec- 
tion of  the  second  edifice,  in  1868.  Subsequently 
the  original  building  was  moved  to  the  rear  of  the 
second  edifice,  where  it  continued  to  be  used  as 
a  chapel.  Later  two  wings  were  added  to  it.  It 
was  replaced  by  the  new  chapel  in  1888.  A  relic 
of  this  original  building — and  it  is  about  the  only 
part  of  it  that  has  survived  several  enlargements 
and  repairs — is  the  window  that  adjoins  the  north 
entrance  to  the  chapel. 

The  first  step  toward  the  building  of  the  second 
house  of  worship  was  the  adoption  of  a  resolution 
by  the  Session,  in  favor  of  a  new  church,  January 
12,  1867.  The  land  for  the  beautiful  site  on  which 
our  church  is  happily  located  was  purchased  in 
1868  from  John  Grant  Crane.  On  the  17th  of  Au- 
gust of  that  year  the  corner  stone  of  the  new  build- 
ing was  laid  with  appropriate  ceremonies.  The 
service  of  dedication  was  held  in  the  church.  May 
25,  1869,  the  sermon  of  the  occasion  being 
preached  by  the  Rev.  James  P.  Wilson,  D.  D.,  of 
Newark.  The  cost  of  the  building,  exclusive  of 
the  organ,  was  about  $13,000.  The  organ  was  paid 
for  by  private  subscriptions  secured  through  the  en- 
terprise of  our  fellow-townsman,  Mr.  Alden  B. 
Bigelow.  It  was  built  in  the  spring  of  1869  ^^  a 
cost  of  about  $1600,  and  was  first  used  at  the  dedi- 


1 6  HISTORY  OF  THE 

cation  of  the  church.  The  bell  was  a  gift  of  Josiah 
Crane.  Its  cost  was  $576.  It  was  first  placed  in  a 
bell-tower  built  for  the  purpose,  on  the  southeast 
side  of  the  old  church  grounds,  in  1868.  The  fol- 
lowing year  it  was  placed  in  the  tower  of  the 
church.  It  now  hangs  in  the  church-spire  of  the 
third  edifice,  and  it  has  thus  served  to  remind  the 
community  of  the  hour  of  worship  for  thirty-three 
years. 

These  were  the  pastors  or  stated  supplies  of  the 
Church  from  185 1  to  1868,  in  the  order  of  their 
settlement:  A,  H.  Lilly,  Thomas  S.  Brittan,  Wil- 
liam R.  Durnett,  William  Whittaker,  Hollis  Read, 
Samuel  Murdock,  A.  H.  Sloat. 

The  first  manse  of  the  Church  was  built  in  1859, 
at  a  cost  of  about  $2000.  It  was  situated  directly 
east  of  the  first  church  edifice.  It  was  afterward 
sold;  and  the  present  manse  was  built  in  187 1,  at  a 
cost  of  $4600. 


FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 


17 


11. 

1869    TO    1893. 

I  sigh  not  over  vanished  years, 
But  watch  the  years  that  hasten  by. 
Look,  how  they  come  ! 

— Bryant. 

The  history  of  the  Church,  from  the  date  of  the 
dedication  of  the  second  house  of  worship  until 
that  of  the  demoHtion  of  that  building  to  give  place 
to  the  present  structure,  must  be  sketched  briefly. 
During  this  period  the  town  gradually  came  to  as- 
sume the  aspect  of  a  suburban  community.  As  the 
surrounding  population  increased  the  Church 
steadily  grew  in  strength  and  importance.  The 
builders  of  1869  could  hardly  have  dreamed  that  in 
less  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  the  congregation 
would  outgrow  the  church  home  they  were  pro- 
viding. 

In  1869  a  debt  of  about  $7500  rested  upon  the 
Church.  The  indebtedness  was  gradually  re- 
duced until  it  stood  at  about  $1900  in  1888.  In 
that  year  it  was  increased  to  $4400  by  the  erection 
of  a  new  chapel.  On  the  morning  of  Sunday, 
February  9.  1890,  the  entire  amount  of  the  debt 
was  subscribed  by  the  congregation;  and  one  vear 
later,  for  the  first  time  in  the  Church's  history,  the 


1 8  HISTORY  OF  THE 

congregation  was  entirely  out  of  debt.  That  Sab- 
bath morning  in  February,  1890,  was  a  day  long 
to  be  remembered  by  all  who  were  present,  and 
who  contributed  to  the  joy  it  brought  to  the 
Church.  It  marked  a  step  forward  in  the  Church's 
temporal  and  spiritual  growth.  And  although  a 
new  burden  of  debt  was  soon  afterward  assumed, 
the  inspiration  of  that  day  was  destined  to  be  in- 
valuable. It  made  our  new  church  possible.  It 
taught  the  congregation  the  art  of  debt-paying.  It 
gave  our  membership  self-respect,  self-reliance,  and 
courage. 

It  has  been  remarked  that  the  first  edifice  began 
to  be  used  solely  as  a  chapel  on  the  completion  of 
the  second  edifice  in  1869.  I^  i^?^  it  was  removed 
to  the  rear  of  the  church.  In  1873  it  was  enlarged. 
In  1888,  to  meet  the  growing  demands  of  the  Sun- 
day School  and  Church  a  new  chapel  was  built  upon 
the  site  of  the  old,  at  a  cost  of  $2700.  It  was  dedi- 
cated January  27,  1889.  Strictly  speaking  this  was 
an  enlargement  of  the  old  chapel,  though  in  the 
process  only  a  small  portion  of  the  old  building  was 
left  to  be  incorporated  in  the  new.  To  complete 
the  history  of  our  chapel  it  is  to  be  noted  that  at 
a  cost  of  about  $2000  it  was  again  enlarged  in  the 
autumn  of  1894,  and  its  facade  conformed  to  the 
architecture  of  the  new  church. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  period  we  are  consider- 
ing Rev.  A.  A.  MacConnell  was  the  pastor  of  the 
Church — a  minister  who  is  remembered  by  a  num- 
ber of  our  present  members  as  an  efficient  and  con- 


FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  19 

secrated  spiritual  leader.  He  was  summoned  to 
his  heavenly  reward  while  still  a  young  man,  in 
1873.  He  was  succeeded  in  the  pastorate  by  the 
Rev.  William  Henry  Roberts,  a  clergyman  of  large 
gifts  of  scholarship  and  of  unusual  eloquence. 
Dr.  Roberts,  since  his  pastorate  in  our  Church,  has 
occupied  highly  important  places  in  the  gift  of  the 
denomination.  For  several  years  he  was  a  pro- 
fessor in  Lane  Theological  Seminary,  and  he  has 
been  for  a  number  of  years  the  Stated  Clerk  of  the 
General  Assembly.  From  1878  until  1884  the  Rev. 
James  F.  Riggs  was  pastor — another  exceedingly 
able  minister.  For  several  years  he  was  a  pro- 
fessor in  the  theological  seminary  of  the  Reformed 
Church,  at  New  Brunswick;  and 'he  is  now  pastor 
of  the  Brick  Presbyterian  Church,  of  East  Orange, 
N.  J.  Dr.  Riggs  is  regarded  by  those  qualified  to 
judge  as  a  brilliant  scholar  as  well  as  a  forceful 
preacher.  The  present  pastor  was  installed  in  1885. 
It  has  been  stated  that  the  Church  was  founded 
by  the  Presbytery  of  Brooklyn.  It  was  founded 
as  a  "  New  School  "  church.  The  members  of  the 
comm.ission  of  Presbytery  which  organized  the 
Church  were  all  distinguished  "  New  School " 
leaders.  The  "  New  School  "  movement  can  hardly 
be  thought  of  apart  from  such  names  as  Dr.  Coxe 
and  Dr.  Spear.  The  Synod  of  New  Jersey,  in  ses- 
sion at  Orange,  transferred  the  Church  from  the 
bounds  of  the  Presbytery  of  Brooklyn  to  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Newark,  October  17,  1865.  When  the 
"  Re-union  "   occurred,   in    1870,   the   Church   nat- 


20  HISTORY  OF  THE 

urally  became  connected  with  the  Presbytery  of 
EHzabeth.  Probably  there  are  many  of  the  younger 
generation  who  would  find  it  difficult  to  explain 
the  precise  difference  between  "  Old  School  "  and 
"  New  School  "  Presbyterians;  but  it  is  noteworthy 
that  these  two  branches  of  the  denomination  were 
merged  together  during  this  second  period  of  the 
life  of  our  own  congregation. 

The  Church  had  grown  until  it  had  a  member- 
ship of  about  240,  and  it  had  come  to  hope  for 
and  expect  large  things  under  Divine  guidance 
when,  in  1893,  the  sentiment  of  the  congregation 
began  to  demand  a  new  house  of  worship. 


FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  21 


III. 


THE    NEW    CHURCH. 


Old  houses  mended, 
Cost  little  less  than  new  before  they're  ended. 

— Col  ley  Cibber. 

As  early  as  in  the  spring  of  1892  it  became  evi- 
dent that  soon  thereafter  larger  quarters  for  the 
congregation  would  be  demanded.  Not  only  was 
the  house  of  worship  too  small  to  meet  the  further 
growth  that  was  looked  for,  but  it  also  began  to 
be  felt  that  the  severe  plainness  of  the  building  was 
out  of  keeping  with  the  outward  attractiveness  of 
the  town.  At  first  a  difference  of  opinion  existed 
as  to  whether  the  desired  result  was  to  be  looked 
for  in  an  enlargement  of  the  existing  building,  or 
in  an  entirely  new  structure.  Practicahy  all  were 
agreed  as  to  the  main  question  of  the  need  of  more 
space.  Soon  it  was  determined  that  a  large  ma- 
jority were  in  favor  of  a  new  building.  The  argu- 
ment about  "  a  new  patch  on  an  old  garment " 
proved  to  be  conclusive. 

On  Sunday,  March  20,  1892,  the  pastor  at  the 
morning  service  addressed  the  congregation  on  the 
subject,  "  Our  Proposed  New  Church."  His  re- 
marks on  that  occasion  may  indicate  the  general 
feeling    concerning   the    project    at   that    juncture. 


22  HISTORY  OF   THE 

His  words,  in  part,  were  as  follows:  ''  It  is  plain 
to  everybody  that  if  our  town  continues  to  grow, 
and  if  our  Church  continues  to  be  blessed,  we  shall 
very  soon  need  a  considerable  increase  in  the  num- 
ber of  our  pews.  Our  seating  capacity  is  now 
about  300,  and  it  ought  to  be  550.  So  near  at  hand 
does  this  demand  for  enlargement  appear  that,  as 
wise  people,  we  must  at  once  look  the  question 
squarely  in  the  face.  For  six  years  our  Church  has 
had  a  steady  and  healthful,  though  not  particu- 
larly rapid,  growth.  It  has  had  a  growth  like 
that  of  the  oak  rather  than  that  of  the  mushroom. 
Six  years  ago  the  Church  had  nominally  125 
members.  At  our  last  communion  our  mem- 
bership was  226,  and  over  200  of  these  are 
active  members.  So  you  see  the  membership  of 
the  Church  has  more  than  doubled  in  six  years. 
Plainly,  if  we  are  to  do  our  duty  to  the  Church, 
the  community,  and  the  cause  of  the  Master,  we 
shall  be  obliged  certainly  within  the  next  two  or 
three  years  to  provide  more  room  for  those  who 
desire  to  worship  with  us.  The  trustees  of  the 
Church  fully  appreciate  these  facts,  and  will  in  due 
time  propose  to  the  congregation  a  plan  involving 
the  proper  consideration  of  the  entire  question  and 
the  orderly  beginning  of  efforts  looking  to  the  pro- 
posed end.  If  the  trustees  shall  nominate,  and  the 
congregation  appoint,  a  building  committee  to 
whom  the  entire  matter  of  an  enlargement  of  the 
Church  IS  referre-d,  it  will  be  for  that  committee  to 
propose    when    the    work    shall    commence,    what 


FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  23 

its  extent  shall  be,  what  its  expense  shall  amount 
to,  and  how  the  necessary  funds  shall  be 
provided." 

For  about  a  year  thereafter  the  question  was  dis- 
cussed and  thought  about  in  all  its  phases  until 
March  10,  1893,  when  a  special  meeting  of  the  con- 
gregation was  held  at  which  it  was  voted  to  pro- 
ceed to  build  a  new  church,  provided  subscriptions 
for  at  least  $10,000  could  be  secured. 

On  Sunday  morning,  April  9,  after  an  historical 
sermon  by  the  pastor,  the  congregation  responded 
liberally  to  the  call  for  funds  for  the  new  enterprise; 
in  a  few  minutes  subscribing  the  amount  of 
$14,200.  Thereupon  the  work  of  building  pro- 
ceeded rapidly.  The  building  committee  consisted 
of  Messrs.  P.  D.  \'an  Saun,  president  of  the  board 
of  trustees ;  George  G.  Ely,  treasurer  of  the  Church ; 
and  Robert  Rindell.  Mr.  Charles  G.  Jones  of  New 
York  was  selected  as  architect,  and  the  building 
contract  was  awarded  to  Mr.  Diedrich  Kreie  of 
Cranford.  On  Monday,  July  3,  the  demolition  of 
the  old  church  was  begun.  The  corner  stone  of 
the  new  edifice  was  laid  with  impressive  ceremony, 
Saturday  afternoon,  September  16.  And  on  the 
evening  of  Tuesday,  June  19,  1894,  the  beautiful 
new  building  with  all  its  furnishings  was  solemnly 
dedicated  to  the  worship  of  God.  The  sermon  on 
the  occasion  was  preached  by  the  Rev.  John  Hall, 
D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  of  New  York.  The  church  was 
filled  by  a  happy  company.  Among  the  visiting 
clergymen  who  assisted  in  the  ser\ace,  apart  from 


2  4  HISTORY  OF   THE 

the  distinguished  preacher  of  the  evening,  were 
Rev.  J.  F.  Riggs,  D.  D.,  of  New  Brunswick,  N.  J.; 
Rev.  N.  W.  Cadwell  of  Westfield,  N.  J.;  Rev.  J.  M. 
McNulty,  D.  D.,  of  Woodbridge,  N.  J.;  Rev. 
Everard  Kempshall,  D.  D.,  of  EHzabeth,  and  Rev. 
W.  F.  Whitaker  of  Orange,  N.  J. 

The  cost  of  the  new  church,  including  the  win- 
dows, the  organ,  the  pews  and  carpets,  the  clock, 
and  the  enlargement  of  the  chapel,  was  about 
$30,000.  Of  this  amount  about  one-half  was  met 
by  special  gifts  and  by  subscriptions  of  the  con- 
gregation, which  were  paid  within  two  years  fol- 
lowing April  9,  1893;  and  the  remainder  was  pro- 
vided for  by  loans  partly  secured  by  a  mortgage 
against  the  property,  and  partly  by  notes  signed  by 
the  trustees.  The  mortgage  was  given  to  a  life  in- 
surance company  of  New  York,  and  was  for  the 
sum  of  $10,000.  In  the  autumn  of  1897  the 
*'  floating  indebtedness  "  was  increased  by  the  en- 
largement and  renovation  of  the  manse.  The  cost, 
then,  of  all  the  improvements  to  the  church  prop- 
erty between  July  i,  1893,  and  January  i,  1898,  may 
be  stated  in  round  numbers  as  follows:  The  new 
church,  $23,400;  furniture,  $1920;  new  organ  (after 
deducting  allowance  for  the  old  one),  $2000;  chapel 
enlargement,  $2000;  improvements  of  manse, 
$1500.  Total,  $30,820.  On  March  31,  1894, 
the  indebtedness  of  the  Church  was  at  its  highest 
point — $16,500;  though  there  were  against  this 
subscriptions  amounting  to  $3500. 

Subsequent  to  the  dedication  of  the  church  dur- 


FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  25 

ing  a  period  of  six  years  the  Church's  indebtedness 
was  gradually  reduced,  until  April,  1900,  when  it 
stood  as  follows:  Alortgage,  $10,000;  notes  given 
by  the  trustees,  $2200;  total,  $12,200.  On  the  morn- 
ing of  April  22,  1900,  the  congregation,  under  the 
inspiration  of  the  approaching  fiftieth  anniversary 
of  the  founding  of  the  Church,  subscribed  for  the 
reduction  of  the  balance  of  debt  $7500:  thus  pro- 
viding for  the  wiping  out  of  the  floating  debt,  and 
the  reduction  by  about  one-half  of  the  amount  of 
the  mortgage.  This  was,  therefore,  the  third  large 
subscription  given  by  the  congregation  during  a 
period  of  ten  years;  and  it  may  be  noted  that  the 
aggregate  of  the  three"  subscription  amounts  was 
no  less  than  the  magnificent  sum  of  $26,000. 

In  reviewing  this  building  enterprise  we  are  led 
to  reflect  on  several  causes  of  special  gratitude  to 
God.  First  of  all,  the  work  was  fortunate  in  not 
being  wrecked  by  the  financial  panic  of  1893.  In 
the  very  month  when  the  old  church  was  demol- 
ished a  period  of  financial  depression  began  which 
lasted  for  several  years.  But  the  Church  was  not 
staggered  by  the  danger  that  at  one  time  appeared 
to  threaten;  the  work  was  carried  steadily  forward 
while  the  business  interests  of  the  whole  country 
were  languishing;  and  at  no  time  has  the  burden 
of  debt  been  overwhelming.  At  the  same  time  the 
Church  has  learned  that  there  is  no  blessing  in  a 
church  debt  apart  from  the  eiTort  for  its  extinction. 
Another  cause  for  thankfulness  has  been  the  at- 
tractiveness and  beautv  of  the  new  house  of  wor- 


26  HISTORY  OF   THE 

ship.  No  serious  blunder  marred  the  tasks  of 
architect  and  builder.  The  singular  beauty  of  the 
new  church  has  been  the  object  of  universal  re- 
mark. It  may  be  expected  to  serve  as  a  "  joy,"  if 
not  "  forever,"  at  least  during  the  lifetime  of  the 
present  generation. 


FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  27 


IV. 

SOCIETIES    AND    ORGANIZATIONS. 

Nature,  through  all  her  works,  in  great  degree, 

Borrows  a  blessing  from  variety. 

— Chic7'cJiill. 

The  Sunday  School  of  the  Church  has  always 
been,  of  course,  an  important  element  of  its  life. 
It  has  grown,  with  the  Church,  from  very  humble 
proportions.  The  following  is  believed  to  be  an 
accurate  list  of  its  superintendents  from  the  begin- 
ning: Samuel  W.  Thompson,  William  Crane, 
Josiah  Crane,  Jr.,  Ebenezar  Hart,  James  A.  Bald- 
win, N.  G.  Foster,  Fisher  A.  Fisher,  William  D. 
Wood,  Walter  ]\I.  Irving,  Frank  H.  Valentine,  and 
N.  R.  Foster.  The  longest  term  of  service  of  these 
was  that  of  Mr.  Wood,  who  held  office  from  1872 
until  his  death  in  June,  1893 — one  of  the  most  use- 
ful officials  the  Church  has  ever  had,  and  almost 
an  ideal  superintendent.  The  present  superin- 
tendent is  a  worthy  successor  to  his  ablest  prede- 
cessor. The  number  of  scholars  in  185 1  was  29. 
Our  present  nimiber  of  officers,  teachers,  and 
scholars  is  327.  Of  these  55  are  members  of  the 
"  Home  Department,"  a  highly  important  feature 
of  recent  creation. 

The  history  and  present  status  of  the  Ladies'  Aid 


FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  29 

The  Young  People's  Society  of  Christian  En- 
deavor was  organized  in  December,  1888,  with  10 
members.  It  has  had  21  presidents,  the  first  being 
Mr.  N.  R.  Foster,  and  the  present  head  being  Mr. 
S.  W.  Winne.  The  membership  is  as  follows:  ac- 
tive members,  29;  associate  members,  3;  honorary 
members,  3. 

The  Junior  Christian  Endeavor  Society  was  or- 
ganized in  1892,  and  it  has  had  three  superin- 
tendents: Mrs.  C.  T.  Bingham,  Miss  Jeanie  Wat- 
son, and  Mrs.  F.  E.  Woodrufif.    It  has  20  members. 

The  Women's  Missionary  Society  is  an  indis- 
pensable adjunct  of  every  prosperous  Presbyterian 
church,  and  for  a  good  many  years  such  a  society 
has  been  in  existence  in  connection  with  our  own 
Church.  The  object  of  the  society  is  to  foster  and 
enlarge  the  missionary  spirit,  particularly  among 
the  women  of  the  congregation,  and  to  raise  funds 
for  missions.  During  the  past  ten  years  the  so- 
ciety has  contributed  to  missionary  objects  the 
sum  of  $2060.55.  The  president  is  Mrs.  William 
Vigelius. 

In  1897  the  Young  W^omen's  Missionary  Society 
came  into  existence — a  live  and  interesting  organ- 
ization. Its  presidents  in  order  have  been:  Miss 
M.  N.  Bradley,  Miss  M.  I.  Thornton,  Miss  M.  E. 
Foster,  and  Miss  J.  L.  Vreeland.  Since  its  birth 
the  society  has  contributed  for  missionary  work  of 
one  form  or  another  about  $100. 

In  the  spring  of  1898  the  chapel  at  Garwood 
came  under  the  control  of  our  Church.     For  sev- 


30  HISTORY  OF  THE 

eral  years  a  small  religious  organization  of  a  union 
character  had  supported  a  Sunday  School  and  held 
occasional  devotional  services  in  the  public-school 
building  and  afterward  in  a  room  in  the  Lent  build- 
ing in  that  place.  It  finally  came  to  be  the  desire 
of  those  supporting  the  enterprise  to  be  connected 
with  our  Church;  and  accordingly  the  Session  as- 
sumed control  at  their  recjuest.  Since  then  preach- 
ing services  have  been  regularly  maintained,  and 
the  Sunday  School  has  steadily  grown  and  pros- 
pered. Thus  far  it  has  been  the  policy  of  the  Ses- 
sion, with  the  approval  of  those  on  the  ground,  to 
secure  the  services  as  preacher  of  a  licentiate  stu- 
dent of  a  near-by  theological  seminary  during  the 
greater  portion  of  each  year.  The  student  preach- 
ers who  have  thus  far  engaged  in  this  work  have, 
without  exception,  done  creditable  service.  These 
have  been:  J.  Herbert  MacConnell,  J.  Elmer  Rus- 
sell, R,  C.  Dobson,  and  J.  K.  Howard.  The  super- 
intendents of  the  Sunday  School,  who  have  also 
had  a  general  oversight  of  the  work  at  the  chapel, 
during  the  period  we  are  considering,  have  been 
C.  T.  Bingham,  John  Sorter,  and  G.  H.  Krause. 
The  membership  of  the  Sunday  School  is  now  70, 
and  it  is  not  unusual  to  find  in  attendance  upon  a 
fair  Sabbath  as  many  as  60,  or  even  more.  The 
present  treasurer  of  the  chapel  is  D.  B.  Lent,  and 
the  treasurer  of  the  Sunday  School  is  W.  W. 
Reeder.  There  is  great  promise  in  the  w^ork  of 
this  particular  organization,  situated  as  it  is  in  a 
growing  manufacturing  center  in   Cranford  town- 


FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  31 

ship.  The  financial  support  of  the  chapel  is  largely 
provided  by  the  Church.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  in 
the  not  distant  future  a  suitable  house  of  worship 
—which  is  much  needed— may  be  provided  in  con- 
nection with  this  department  of  the  Church. 


32  HISTORY  OF  THE 


V. 

BENEFICE^XE. 

He  is  beneficent  who  acts  kindly,  not  for  his  own  bene- 
fit, but  for  another's. — Cicero. 

For  many  years  our  Church  has  contributed 
money  for  causes  connected  with  the_  kingdom  of 
Christ,  aside  from  self-support.  In  the  early  days, 
when  the  Church  was  small  and  struggling  under 
a  heavy  load  of  debt,  of  course  the  average  annual 
contributions  to  missionary  and  denominational  in- 
terests must  have  been  small.  We  have  not  at  hand 
the  data  to  determine  the  amounts  given  in  these 
directions  in  the  Church's  early  period.  But  we 
know  that  during  the  last  fifteen  or  twenty  years 
the  Church  has  given  each  year  quite  a  handsome 
sum  in  the  aggregate  for  what  is  termed  "  benefi- 
cence." And  for  many  years,  also,  it  has  been  the 
policy  of  the  Church  to  give  each  year  to  each  of 
the  causes  that  have  had  the  official  indorsement 
of  the  General  Assembly.  Besides  these  the 
Church  has  contributed  to  worthy  objects  not 
strictly  denominational — like  the  American  Bible 
Society,  for  instance;  and  it  has  responded  fre- 
quently to  special  calls  for  financial  help  for  the 
needy.  Thus  on  Sunday  morning,  June  9,  1889, 
the  congregation  gave  over  $80  for  the  sufferers  by 


FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  33 

the  Johnstown  flood;  and  in  1900  it  gave  over  $40 
for  the  sufferers  from  the  Galveston  flood.  But 
we  cannot  mention  a  goodly  fraction  of  the  worthy 
objects  that  have  received  aid  from  the  Church  in 
greater  or  less  amounts. 

For  quite  a  number  of  years  the  Church  has 
given  a  monthly  offering  to  one  of  the  approved 
causes  of  the  denomination,  and  it  has  devoted  a 
percentage  of  the  funds  received  from  the  weekly 
envelope  system,  divided  according  to  a  regular 
schedule,  to  these  ends.  These  causes,  with  the 
months  m  which  they  thus  receive  attention,  are  as 
follow^s:  Foreign  Mission,  January;  Aid  for  Col- 
leges, February;  Sunday-School  Missions,  March; 
Session's  Fund,  to  supplement  other  offerings, 
April;  Home  Missions  in  New  Jersey  (Synodical 
Home  Missions),  May;  Temperance  Work,  June; 
Church  Erection,  July;  Relief  for  Aged  or  Disabled 
Ministers,  September;  Education  of  Students  for 
the  Ministry,  October;  Home  Missions,  November; 
Missions  among  our  Colored  Population,  Decem- 
ber. The  offering  for  August  goes  to  the  Ameri- 
can Bible  Society.  Of  all  these  objects  the  larger 
amounts  have  gone  to  the  support  of  Home  and 
Foreisfn  Missions.  It  mav  be  added  that  the  Sun- 
day  School  contributes  monthly  to  each  of  the  ob- 
jects we  have  specified.  Then,  too,  the  various 
missionary  societies  of  the  Church  have  contrib- 
uted annually,  often  relatively  large  amounts,  to 
various  forms  of  missionary  work. 

It  would  hardly  be  profitable,  even  if  we  pos- 


34 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


sessed  the  data  for  the  statement,  to  give  the  pre- 
cise figures  to  indicate  what  the  Church  has  given 
in  the  Hne  of  beneficence  throughout  its  history. 
It  may  prove  interesting,  however,  to  glance  over 
the  reports  of  the  Church  in  the  matter  of  benefi- 
cence to  the  General  Assembly  during  the  last  ten 
years.  During  our  last  decade  the  Church  has,  ac- 
cording to  these  data,  given  in  this  line  the  sum 
of  $12,330.  Of  course  this  statement  is  well  inside 
of  the  actual  total,  since  a  considerable  amount  in 
the  aggregate  cannot  have  been  covered  by  our 
formal  reports.  The  following  table  will  show  the 
separate  aggregates  given  for  various  causes  during 
the  years  1892  and  1901  inclusive: 


Home   Missions,   . 

$4921 

Foreign  Missions, 

•       3914 

Education,     .... 

248 

Sunday-School  Missions, 

529 

Church  Erection,  . 

215 

Ministerial  Relief, 

412 

Missions  to  Freedmen,  . 

320 

Synodical  Home  Missions,    . 

977 

Aid  for  Colleges,  . 

245 

Miscellaneous, 

549 

For  a  long  period  the  Church  has  taken  an  in- 
terest in  Christian  missions  beyond  that  of  many 
churches  of  equal  membership  and  resources.  A 
decided  forward  step  was  taken  in  the  support  of 
Foreign  Missions  in  January,  1898.     On  the  23d 


FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  35 

of  that  month  Mr.  L.  E.  Wishard,  representing  the 
''  Forward  Movement  "  of  the  Board  of  Foreign 
Missions,  addressed  the  congregation  and  urged 
that  the  Church  undertake  the  support  of  a  mis- 
sionary in  the  foreign  field.  A  prompt  and  hearty 
response  was  made  to  his  appeal;  and  for  two  years, 
1898  and  1899,  the  Church  paid  the  salary  of  Rev. 
John  N.  Forman,  an  able  and  well-known  mission- 
ary of  the  denomination  in  India.  Doubtless  the 
Church  received  much  good  from  this  enterprise 
through  being  brought  into  personal  touch  with  a 
particular  servant  of  the  Church  in  the  out-field. 
Owing  to  the  Church's  recent  effort  to  reduce  its 
debt  this  particular  work  has  been  relinquished;  but 
it  is  hoped  that,  as  soon  as  the  congregation  is 
reHeved  of  the  special  stress  of  debt-paying,  the 
undertaking  may  be  resumed. 

There  are  two  ideals  toward  which  every  church 
should  look  in  the  matter  of  beneficence.  It  should 
work  toward  the  point  where  as  much  is  given  an- 
nually for  outside  beneficence  as  for  self-support; 
and  it  should  work  up  to  a  condition  where  each 
member  of  the  church  and  congregation  gives  regu- 
larly each  week  a  fixed  amount  for  the  causes  that 
have  a  claim  upon  the  denomination.  Gradual 
progress  has  been  made  toward  these  ideals  by  our 
Church,  though  it  has  not  yet  reached  them;  and 
it  cannot  but  be  believed  that  through  all  the  com- 
ing years  the  Church  will  be  known  as  a  ^kius- 
church. 


S6  HISTORY  OF  THE 


VI. 


REVIVALS. 


Christ — the  one  great  word 

Well  worth  all  languages  in  earth  or  heaven. 

— Bailey. 

Every  healthful  church  has  its  periods  of  special 
spiritual  awakening,  and  ours  has  been  no  excep- 
tion to  the  rule.  There  have  been  at  least  four 
notable  revivals  in  the  Church  during  the  half 
century. 

During  one  of  the  years  of  the  pastorate  of  Rev. 
W.  H.  Roberts  a  special  regard  for  spiritual  mat- 
ters appeared  in  the  congregation,  special  services 
were  held,  and  a  number  were  brought  into  the 
membership  of  the  Church. 

In  the  early  spring  of  1891  special  union  services, 
in  which  the  M.  E.  Church  joined,  were  held  in  the 
church,  under  the  direction  of  Rev.  Frank  Hall 
Wright.  Although  the  evangelist,  then  quite  a 
young  man,  was  the  son  of  a  full-blooded  Choctaw 
Indian,  he  was  a  highly  edticated  and  refined  min- 
ister of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  a  graduate  of 
Union  College  and  Union  Theological  Seminary. 
He  was  an  able  exponent  of  Gospel  teaching  and 
a  deeply  consecrated  child  of  God.  What  attracted 
the  public  even  more  than  his  preaching  was  his 


REV.    WILLIAM    HEXRY    ROBERTS,    D.D.,   LL.D. 


FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  37 

rare  gift  of  music;  and  seldom  if  ever  had  those 
who  hstened  to  him  heard  the  Gospel  sung  with 
such  cultivated  sw^eetness  as  by  him.  He  preached 
the  Gospel  and  he  sang  the  Gospel,  and  he  talked 
the  Gospel  in  private  converse  with  those  he  came 
\n  contact  with;  and  as  a  result  of  the  work  of  the 
Divine  Spirit  through  him  quite  a  number,  mostly 
young  people,  gave  themselves  to  God  and  after- 
ward entered  the  fellowship  of  the  Church.  The 
general  result  of  the  ministration  of  Mr.  Wright  in 
our  midst  was  most  happy. 

Another  revival  occurred  in  January,  1897.  On 
the  15th  of  the  preceding  month  the  world-re- 
nowned evangelist,  Dwight  L.  Moody,  who  had 
been  holding  services  for  several  weeks  in  Cooper 
Union  and  Carnegie  Hall  in  New  York,  preached 
in  the  afternoon  and  again  in  the  evening  in  the 
church,  to  great  audiences.  The  one-day  visit  of 
this  great  evangelistic  genius  served  as  an  excellent 
preparation  to  two  weeks  of  special  services,  be- 
ginning with  the  Week  of  Prayer  of  the  New  Year. 
These  services  were  under  the  charge  of  Rev.  Wil- 
liam Walton  Clark,  who  had  a  wide  repute  as  a 
"  Bible  reader  "  and  evangelist,  and  who  had  long 
been  a  friend  of  Mr.  Moody.  A  striking  feature 
of  the  services  was  the  unusually  large  volunteer 
choir  that  led  the  singing  of  the  Gospel  hymns  that 
were  employed.  Services  were  held  nightly,  and  on 
two  afternoons  of  each  week.  The  work  was  en- 
tirely free  from  sensational  features,  and  it  was  al- 
together  wholesome.     A   goodly   number   entered 


38  HISTORY  OF   THE 

the  Christian  fold  at  the  time,  and  some  of  the 
most  faithful  members  of  the  Church  at  the  pres- 
ent hour  began  their  Christian  course  then.  The 
new  members  received  into  the  Church  in  1897 
numbered  forty-nine. 

But  the  Church's  greatest  revival  was  its  last  in 
the  half-century — that  of  February  and  March  of 
the  present  year.  It  sprang,  as  every  revival  must, 
from  the  earnest  prayers  of  God's  people,  who  were 
concerned  over  the  worldliness  and  indifference  to 
spiritual  concerns  that  were  manifested  in  the  com- 
munity. Early  in  the  preceding  autumn,  on  the 
invitation  of  the  pastor,  Rev.  George  F.  Pentecost, 
D.  D.,  pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of 
Yonkers,  N.  Y.,  and  one  of  the  ablest  and  best- 
known  evangelistic  preachers  in  the  land,  engaged 
himself  to  preach  daily  for  two  or  three  weeks,  be- 
ginning on  the  19th  of  February.  In  every  sense 
Dr.  Pentecost's  mission  was  successful.  On  four 
afternoons  of  each  week,  and  each  evening,  except 
Saturdays,  he  preached  to  large  audiences,  for  three 
weeks.  Daily  reports  of  the  meetings  were  printed 
in  the  Elizabeth  Daily  Journal,  and  the  audiences 
were  composed  not  only  of  Cranford  people,  but 
also  of  people  of  neighboring  towns.  The  spiritual 
impression  made  on  the  community  was  pro- 
nounced. Quite  a  number  were  converted,  and 
others  who  had  grown  cold  in  Christian  service 
re-dedicated  themselves  to  the  Master.  Including 
a  number  who  brought  certificates  from  other 
churches,  thirty-seven  united  with  the  Church  on 


FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  39 

last  Easter  Day.  We  cannot  but  believe  that  last- 
ing good  will  appear  to  have  followed  this  special 
work  of  grace.  The  Church  membership  was 
surely  entitled  to  rejoice  over  this  ingathering  dur- 
ing the  first  year  of  the  new  century. 

While  it  is  right  for  a  church  to  pray  and  work 
for  these  special  times  of  refreshing  from  the 
Lord's  presence,  Christian  people  ought  not  to  for- 
get to  magnify  the  ordinary  means  of  grace.  Con- 
versions ought  to  attend  the  regular  preaching  of 
the  Word.  Every  Communion  season  ought  to 
mark  the  beginning  of  an  avowed  Christian  life  on 
the  part  of  one  or  more.  Let  the  Church  remem- 
ber that  a  life  of  service  to  the  great  Head  of  the 
Church  may  begin  whenever  a  sincere  dedication  of 
self  to  God  is  made.  The  feeling  ought  not  to  be 
encouraged  that  the  only  right  time  to  begin  the 
Christian  career  is  during  a  special  term  of  evan- 
gelistic services. 


40  HISTORY  OF   THE 


VII. 

FAITHFUL    UNTO     DEATH. 

Death  is  the  privilege  of  human  nature; 
And  life  without  it  were  not  worth  our  taking. 

— Rowe. 

We  must  not  omit  to  refer  with  a  feeling  of  rev- 
erent appreciation  to  those  who  have  served  the 
Church  with  unusual  devotion  and  who  rest  from 
their  labors,  though  their  works  follow  them.  We 
cannot  mention  them  all,  for  the  list  has  now  grown 
long;  nor  can  we  dwell  upon  the  names  that  occur 
to  us  sufficiently  at  length  to  permit  the  scope  of 
the  description  to  suit  the  theme. 

Josiah  Crane,  Sr.,  and  Samuel  W.  Thompson 
were  the  strongest  pillars  of  the  Church  in  its  early 
years.  It  is  probably  just  to  say  that  the  Church 
could  never  have  lived  through  its  infancy  without 
the  assistance  these  two^  devoted  Christian  men 
rendered.  They  were  faithful  to  the  Church  in  its 
every  crisis  and  need:  faithful  in  their  presence, 
their  counsel,  their  gifts  of  money,  and  their 
prayers.  Other  prominent  workers  in  the  Church, 
from  the  date  of  its  founding,  were  William  Crane, 
John  Miller,  and  David  Miller.  Later  in  its  history 
John  R.  Miller,  Ebenezer  Hart,  J.  A.  Baldwin,  Job 
W^illiams,  John  Seaton,  C.  D.   Bigelow,  Ira  Can- 


FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  41 

field,  and  Alexander  Stewart,  as  well  as  many 
others,  were  men  of  sterling  character  who  were 
unfailing  in  their  devotion  to  the. Church. 

Nor  must  we  forget  to  give  honorable  mention 
to  the  lady  workers  of  the  Church  during  its  first 
thirty  years, — the  Priscillas  and  Dorcases, — to 
whom  an  infinite  debt  of  gratitude  is  due,  and  who 
are  in  Heaven's  bright  mansions.  These  include, 
among  others,  Mrs.  JosiaJi  Crane,  Mrs.  Phebe 
Garthwait,  Mrs.  Alary  Bigelow,  Mrs.  John  R. 
Miller;  and  of  those  belonging  to  a  somewhat  later 
period,  but  prior  to  fifteen  years  ago,  Mrs.  Cahill, 
Mrs.  Partridge,  Mrs.  Foster,  Mrs.  Adams,  Mrs. 
Wagner,  and  Airs.  Stewart. 

Of  the  devoted  friends  of  the  Church  who  have 
died  while  members  of  the  congregation  during 
the  past  fifteen  years,  these  may  be  mentioned,  with 
the  years  of  their  death:  Richard  Hale  (1886), 
E.  K.  Adams  (1887),  Joseph  N.  Ely  (1888),  William 
\\'oodrufif  (1890),  John  Cromwell  (1891),  Mrs. 
Phebe  Rindell  (1892),  D.  S.  B.  Bennet  (1892), 
Samuel  Brush  (1893),  Henry  H.  Cowan  (1893), 
William  D.  Wood  (1893),  Airs.  J.  K.  AlacConnell 
(1894),  John  W.  Close  (1894),  Edwin  Garthwait 
(1897),  AVilliam  D.  Bigelow  (1897),  John  Hegeman 
(1897),  L.  P.  V.  Brymer  (1899),  Mrs.  Noel  R.  Park 
(1899),  Aloses  T.  Crane  (1901).  Of  these  several 
require  more  than  a  mere  mention. 

Richard  Hale  was  the  son  of  the  David  Hale 
well  known  fifty  years  ago  as  one  of  the  founders 
of  the  New  York  Journal  of  Commerce.     Like  his 


42  HISTORY  OF  THE 

distinguished  father,  he  was  a  highly  accompHshed 
man,  as  well  as  a  sincere  and  devout  Christian. 
While  a  resident  of  Cranford  he  was  a  faithful  sup- 
porter of  our  Church.  He  occupied  a  front  pew  in 
the  house  of  worship,  and  he  was  always  present 
at  the  evening  as  well  as  at  the  morning  service  on 
Sundays;  and  he  was  a  regular  attendant  of  the 
weekly  prayer  meeting.  His  death  by  accident  was 
a  great  shock  to  the  community,  and  the  Church 
long  and  sorely  missed  his  genial  and  inspiring 
presence. 

In  the  summer  of  1893  a  great  blow  fell  upon 
the  Church  in  the  death  of  William  D.  Wood,  after 
a  painful  illness.  For  many  years  Mr.  Wood  had 
been  a  ruling  elder;  but  it  was  as  superintendent 
of  the  Sunday  School  that  he  made  an  ineffaceable 
impression  on  the  life  of  the  Church.  He  possessed 
great  executive  ability;  he  was  exceedingly  fond  of 
young  people;  he  was  methodical  and  painstaking 
in  method  to  a  rare  degree;  he  was  extremely  mag- 
netic in  manner,  and  he  was  one  among  a  thousand 
in  punctuality  and  faithfulness  to  his  trusts.  Dr. 
Roberts,  his  pastor  for  four  years,  has  declared 
that  in  his  time  he  was  the  best  Sunday-school 
superintendent  in  New  Jersey;  high  praise,  but  not 
extreme,  as  many  who  knew  him  will  be  ready  to 
believe.  He  well  supported  the  Church  on  every 
side,  and  during  a  long  period  of  years.  He  was 
always  in  attendance  on  the  weekly  prayer  meeting, 
in  which,  with  rare  exceptions,  he  took  active  part. 
Not  during  the  eight  years  that  have  elapsed  since 


FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  43 

his  death  has  the  loss  felt  by  the  Church  through 
his  departure  been  wholly  repaired. 

It  is  probably  not  too  much  to  say  that  the 
Church  has  never  had  among  its  women  members 
a  more  loyal  friend,  or  a  more  earnest,  unselfish, 
and  tireless  worker  than  Mrs.  ].  K.  MacConnell. 
She  was  one  of  those  noble  spirits  who  seem  born 
to  help  their  churches  in  practical  ways.  For  a 
time  she  was  an  efficient  president  of  the  Ladies' 
Aid  Society.  She  was  ever  ready  to  open  her 
house  for  gatherings  of  the  congregation  of  various 
sorts,  and  she  wrought  noble  results  for  the  social 
side  of  the  Church  life.  She  was  greatly  interested 
in  the  project  of  a  new  church,  and  her  death  but  a 
few  months  before  the  dedication  of  the  new  edi- 
fice seemed  peculiarly  pathetic.  The  Ladies'  Aid 
Society  properly  erected  in  the  main  vestibule  of 
the  new  church  a  fine  memorial  window  to  her 
memory. 

Edwin  Garthwait  was  one  of  the  original  mem- 
bers of  the  congregation,  and  for  many  years  prior 
to  his  death  he  was  a  faithful  member  of  the 
Church.  His  great  love  for  and  loyalty  to  the 
Church  were  indicated  by  a  magnificent  gift  that 
he  left  to  it  by  bequest. 

Moses  T.  Crane,  who  died  early  in  the  present 
year  at  an  extreme  age,  demands  special  mention 
from  the  fact  that  he  was  the  last  to  survive  of  the 
founders  of  the  Church,  and  from  the  further  fact 
that  for  many  years  in  its  early  period  he  served 
the  organization  faithfully  as  treasurer. 


44  HISTORY  OF  THE 

One  solemn  question  presents  itself  as  we  con- 
sider this  honor-roll  of  those  who  have  joined  the 
Church  on  high,  and  it  is  this:  How  many  of  the 
young  men  and  women  who  are  with  us  at  this 
hour  will  so  serve  the  Church  that,  fifty  years  hence, 
their  names  will  demand  honorable  mention  in  the 
new  pages  that  will  be  written  to  celebrate  its  cen- 
tennial? Who  would  not  rather  figure  in  such  a 
history,  and  in  such  a  light,  than  to  have  a  monu- 
ment of  marble  or  brass  to  mark  his  tomb? 


FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  45 


VIII. 

THE    JUBILEE. 

And  ye  shall  hallow  the  fiftieth  year  ...    It  shall  be  a 
jubilee  unto  you. — LezK  xxv .  10. 

The  exercises  in  commemoration  of  the  Church's 
jubilee  began  Sunday  morning,  June  9,  1901,  and 
ended  on  the  evening  of  the  following  Wednesday. 
The  anniversary  had  been  looked  forward  to  dur- 
ing more  than  two  years  by  the  ofhcers  of  the 
Church,  and  when  it  occurred  it  was  not  marred 
by  the  slightest  hitch  or  other  unpleasant  feature. 
The  original  plan  had  been  to  have  the  anniversary 
exercises  coincide  with  the  exact  date  of  the  birth- 
day of  the  Church — June  26;  but  in  order  to  avoid 
the  greater  risk  of  extreme  heat  the  second  w^eek 
in  June  had  been  finally  decided  on.  The  weather 
proved  to  be  almost  ideal  on  the  date  selected. 

When  the  large  congregation  assembled  on  the 
morning  of  Sunday,  June  9,  they  found  the  audi- 
torium beautifully  decorated  with  bunting  and 
flowers.  Mr.  Calvin  Voorhis  had  directed  the  dec- 
orations, and  the  perfect  taste  he  had  manifested 
was  the  comment  of  all.  At  the  left  of  the  pulpit 
appeared  the  date  "  185 1  "  and  at  the  right  the 
date  ''  1901."  The  desk  was  draped  with  the  Stars 
and    Stripes,   and   flags   were   festooned   variously 


46  HISTORY  OF  THE 

about  the  platform;  while  red,  white,  and  blue 
streamers  fell  in  graceful  lines  from  the  ceiling  to 
the  corners  of  the  arches  of  the  roof.  The  floral 
decorations  of  the  platform  had  been  beautifully 
arranged  by  Mrs.  F.  N.  Brundage,  and  they  con- 
sisted of  shrubs,  wild  flowers,  and  cut  flowers  pro- 
vided in  generous  quantities.  The  members  of  the 
Junior  Endeavor  Society,  under  the  direction  of  the 
superintendent,  Mrs.  F.  E.  Woodruff,  provided  the 
wild  flowers. 

The  pastor  was  assisted  in  the  service  by  Rev. 
E.  Morris  Ferguson,  who  ofifered  the  prayer.  The 
sermon,  which  was  a  sketch  of  the  history  of  the 
parish,  was  from  the  text,  Lev.  xxv.  lo,  ''  And  ye 
shall  hallow  the  fiftieth  year.  .  .  It  shall  be  a 
jubilee  unto  you."  A  feature  of  the  service  was 
the  singing  of  a  hymn  written  by  the  pastor  for  the 
occasion."^  A  large  choir,  under  the  leadership  of 
the  Church's  choirmaster,  Mr.  Edward  A.  Johnson, 
led  in  the  service  of  praise,  and  Mr.  William  N. 
Bartow,  a  member  of  the  Church,  supported  the 
organ  with  the  cornet.  The  regular  organist.  Miss 
Minnie  M.  Vreeland,  presided  at  the  organ.  The 
ushers  were  Messrs.  N.  R.  Foster,  Daniel  Burr, 
Albert  Tusch,  Jr.,  and  F.  C.  Blauvelt.  There  were 
quite  a  number  of  visitors  from  out  of  town,  mostly 
of  those  who  had  formerly  been  related  in  some 
way  to  the  Church. 

The  church  was  filled  at  3.30  in  the  afternoon, 

when  the  anniversary  of  the  Sunday  School  was 

*See  p.  6.     The  hymn  was  sung  to  the  tune  "  Louvan." 


FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  47 

observed.     The  superintendent,  Mr.  X.  R.  Foster, 
presided,  and  he  was  assisted  in  the  introductory 
exercises    by    the    associate    superintendent,    Mr. 
George   G.   Teller,   and   by  the   superintendent   of 
Garwood    Chapel,    Air.    George    H.    Krause.     The 
principal   features   were   an   admirable   address   bv 
Rev.   E.   Morris  Ferguson,  secretary  of  the  State 
Sunday-School    Association,    and    an    interesting 
talk   by    Mr.   W.   W.    Mendell,   \vho   had   been   a 
member    of    the    Sunday    School    at    the    date    of 
the    organization    of    the    Church.     The    singing 
was  spirited,  and  there  were  a  number  of  recita- 
tions by  pupils.     The  latter  were  by  the  following 
children:  Helen  Severns,  Mildred  Crane,  Denman 
Penniston,    Rosa    Ruhtard,    Elsie    Sorter,    Vernie 
Yingst,  Lulu  Reeder,  Lizzie  Huber,  Idell  Reeder. 
Miss  Edna  Teller  sang  a  solo,  and  a  duet  was  sung 
by  Misses  Amelia  Becker  and  Minnie  Siegl.     The 
Ganvood  School  joined  in  the  celebration. 

A  great  crowd  was  in  attendance  at  the  evening 
service,  when  Rev.  George  F.  Pentecost,  D.  D.,  of 
Yonkers,  N.  Y.,  preached  an  anniversary  sermon. 
The  pastor  presided,  and  was  assisted  in  the  pre- 
liminary exercises  by  Rev.  H.  C.  Thompson,  pastor 
of  St.  Paul's  M.  E.  Church  of  Cranford.  The  ser- 
mon of  the  distinguished  preacher  of  the  evenins" 
was  worthy  of  the  man  and  of  the  occasion.  Its 
text  w^as  Matt.  ix.  17:  ''Neither  do  men  put  new 
wine  into  old  bottles:  else  the  bottles  break,  and 
the  wine  runneth  out,  and  the  bottles  perish:  but 
they  put  new  wine  into  new  bottles,  and  both  are 


48  HISTORY  OF   THE 

preserved."  The  theme  was  "  The  Church  and 
Gospel  for  the  Twentieth  Century."  The  service 
was  in  every  respect  memorable. 

On  Monday  evening,  June  9,  the  church  was 
crowded  to  its  utmost  capacity  to  listen  to  a  com- 
plimentary organ  recital  and  concert.  Every  seat 
was  taken,  every  inch  of  available  space  in  the  aisles 
was  occupied,  and  a  large  number  who  were  com- 
pelled to  stand  remained  throughout  the  evening. 
This  entertainment  was  pronounced  by  those  cpiali- 
fied  to  judge  the  finest  concert  that  had  ever  been 
given  in  Cranford.  The  following  is  condensed 
from  the  report  of  the  concert  which  appeared  the 
next  day  in  the  Cranford  Chronicle: 

"  The  programme  opened  with  an  organ  solo,  the 
composition  of  Flotow — '  Overture,  Martha  ' — l)y 
Mr.  Homer  N.  Bartlett,  who  is  the  organist  of  the 
Fifth  Avenue  Baptist  Church,  New  York.  Henry 
Smart's  '  Queen  of  the  Night '  was  a  trio  sung  by 
Mrs.  Mina  Schilling  and  Mrs.  M.  N.  Robinson, 
sopranos,  and  Miss  Maurer.  contralto.  This  se- 
lection was  splendidly  rendered,  and  brought  out 
the  exquisite  qualities  of  the  singers'  voices.  The 
audience  applauded  so  heartily  that  the  trio  sang 
as  an  encore  '  Lift  Thine  Eyes  '  from  Mendelssohn's 
Oratorio, '  Elijah.'  A  solo, '  Celeste  Aida,'  by  Verdi, 
was  the  next  number  on  the  programme.  This  was 
sung  by  Mr.  Charles  Kaiser,  who  has  an  attractive 
personality,  and  a  magnificent  tenor  voice.  His 
tones  are  deep  and  full,  and  his  voice  has  a  sweet 
quality,   especially   in   the   high   notes.      For   some 


FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  49 

years  he  has  been  associated  with  the  Cathedral  in 
New  York,  being  the  tenor  soloist.  The  accom- 
panist of  the  evening  was  Mr.  Joseph  Pizzarello,  a 
native  of  France.  His  status  in  the  world  of  music 
is  attested  by  the  fact  that  he  accompanies  the  solo- 
ists in  Grand  Opera — Maurel,  the  De  Reszkes,  and 
others.  A  solo,  '  Ah !  My  Son ! '  from  '  The 
Prophet/  by  Meyerbeer,  was  rendered  by  Miss 
jNIaurer.  The  soloist  was  recalled,  and  sang  a 
pretty  little  ballad.  She  is  a  soloist  at  the  Dam- 
rosch  concerts,  and  achieved  great  success  in  the 
operas  recently  given  in  Brooklyn.  Mr.  Van  der 
Gucht,  a  Cuban,  gave  '  Faust  Fantasie  '  (Gounod- 
Sarasate)  as  a  violin  solo.  This  was  greatly  enjoyed 
by  all,  and  he  gave  as  an  encore  a  berceuse,  one 
of  the  sweetest  compositions  of  Reber.  He  used 
his  instrument  with  great  skill,  and  brought  out 
all  its  wonderful  possibilities.  Part  Second  of  the 
programme  began  with  a  Hungarian  Rhapsody — 
No.  12 — by  Liszt,  which  w^as  rendered  by  Sefior 
Miguel  Castellanos.  This  piano  solo  was  rendered 
in  an  exceedingly  brilliant  manner.  Mr.  Castel- 
lanos is  a  Cuban  of  noble  birth,  and  he  is  a  teacher 
of  music  in  the  Convent  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  New 
York.  The  solo  was  followed  by  the  rendering 
of  Gounod's  '  Ave  Maria '  by  Mrs.  Mina  Schilling. 
She  was  accompanied  by  the  organ,  piano,  and 
violin;  and  so  magnificently  did  she  sing  that  the 
applause  was  tremendous  and  long  continued.  She 
repeated  the  piece  as  an  encore.  The  quartette — 
Mrs.  Schilling,  Miss  Maurer,  Mr.  Kaiser,  and  Mr. 
Schilling — ^then  sang  Verdi's  '  Rigoletto  '  brilliantly. 


50  HISTORY  OF  THE 

Mr.  Bartlett  played  two  of  his  own  compositions, 
the  '  Polonaise  Militaire  '  and  '  Allegretto  Grazi- 
oso/  as  concluding  numbers." 

This  magnificent  concert  was  due  to  the  enter- 
prise of  a  number  of  the  gentlemen  of  the  Church, 
chiefly  of  the  trustees,  and  to  the  gracious  gen- 
erosity of  Mrs.  Fred  Schilling,  Jr. 

On  Tuesday  evening,  June  ii,  exercises  were 
again  held  in  the  church,  the  speakers  being  mem- 
bers of  the  Presbytery  of  Elizabeth.  The  pastor 
in  a  few  words  of  greeting  called  on  the  moderator, 
Rev.  J.  G.  Mason,  D.  D.,  to  preside;  and  the  latter, 
on  taking  the  chair,  made  a  brief  address  in  fitting 
terms.  Rev.  Oscar  L.  Joseph,  pastor  of  the  First 
M.  E.  Church  of  Cranford,  offered  prayer,  and  the 
following  ministers  gave  five-minute  addresses: 
Rev.  W.  R.  Richards,  D.  D.,  pastor  of  the  Crescent 
Avenue  Church,  Plainfield;  Rev.  N.  W.  Cadwell, 
pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  Westfield;  Rev. 
L  A.  Blauvelt,  D.  D.,  pastor  of  the  Roselle  Church; 
Rev.  George  Hubbard  Payson,  D.  D.,  pastor  of  the 
First  Church,  Rah  way;  Rev.  John  T.  Kerr,  pastor 
of  the  Third  Church,  Elizabeth,  and  Rev.  John  A. 
Liggett,  D.  D.,  pastor  of  the  Second  Church,  Rah- 
way.  Dr.  Richards  spoke  of  the  distinct  mission  of 
each  congregation  and  of  the  significance  of  an  an- 
niversary like  that  in  course  of  celebration.  Mr. 
Cadwell  brought  greeting  from  the  mother  church. 
Dr.  Blauvelt  spoke  as  a  long-time  neighbor  of  the 
Cranford  Church  and  its  present  pastor.  Messrs. 
Payson  and  Kerr  gave  speeches  of  great  wit  and 


REV.  JA^r^:s  v.  riggs.  d. 


D. 


FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  51 

brilliancy,  particularly  emphasizing  their  personal 
friendship  for  the  pastor  of  the  Church.  Dr.  Lig- 
gett declared  his  admiration  for  what  the  Church 
had  accomplished,  and  in  very  happy  phrases  con- 
gratulated the  congregation  on  past  achievements. 
The  exercises,  which  lasted  a  little  over  an  hour, 
were  exceedingly  brilliant  throughout,  and  were 
greatly  enjoyed  by  all  who  were  so  fortunate  as  to 
be  present.  Telegrams  or  letters  of  congratulation 
were  read  from  Rev.  D.  S.  Gregory,  D.  D.,  editor 
of  the  Homilctic  Rcviczv;  Rev.  Everard  Kempshall, 
D.  D.;  Rev.  Samuel  Parry,  D.  D.,  Stated  Clerk  of 
the  Presbytery;  Rev.  E.  G.  Read,  D.  D.,  and  Mr. 
Edward  Lane  of  New  York  City.  Among  the 
other  clergymen  present  besides  those  mentioned 
were  Rev.  John  Stuchell,  pastor  of  the  First 
Church,  Elizabeth,  and  Rev.  J.  M.  McXulty,  D.  D., 
pastor  of  the  Woodbridge  Church. 

The  final  jubilee  service  was  held  in  the  church 
Wednesday  evening,  June  12,  and  a  large  audience 
was  in  attendance.  The  pastor  presided.  Prayer 
was  offered  by  the  venerable  Rev.  Wilson  Phraner, 
D.  D.,  who  had  preached  at  a  service  at  which  the 
founding  of  the  Church  was  under  advisement,  over 
fifty  years  ago.  Adresses  followed  by  Rev.  William 
Henry  Roberts,  D.  D.,  the  Stated  Clerk  of  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly,  and  pastor  of  the  Church  from  1873 
to  1877,  and  Rev.  James  F.  Riggs,  D.  D.,  pastor 
of  the  Brick  Church,  East  Orange,  pastor  of  the 
Church  from  1877  to  1884.  Dr.  Roberts'  subject 
was  "  The  Presbvterian  Church  of  the  Twentieth 


52  HISTORY  OF  THE 

Century,"  *  and  that  of  Dr.  Riggs  was  "  The 
Suburban  Church."  f  They  were  both  able  ad- 
dresses, and  were  hstened  to  by  many  of  their 
former  parishioners  with  much  pleasure.  The 
benediction  was  pronounced  by  Rev.  H.  C.  Thomp- 
son, pastor  of  St.  Paul's  M.  E.  Church,  Cranford. 

After  the  exercises  in  the  church  a  reception  was 
held  in  the  chapel  to  the  present  and  former  mem- 
bers of  the  parish,  at  which  several  hundred  people 
were  present.  The  Ladies'  Aid  Society  had  dec- 
orated the  chapel  for  the  occasion,  and  the  mem- 
bers provided  refreshments  for  the  guests  of  the 
evening.  While  the  people  were  chatting  Gar- 
land's parlor  orchestra  provided  music,  and  helped 
to  give  a  festive  tone  to  the  gathering.  It  was  a 
happy  occasion,  and  when  the  evening  ended  all 
felt,  it  may  be  believed,  that  the  entire  celebration 
had  been  a  great  success.  All  the  members  of  the 
Church  had  reason  to  feel  a  degree  of  honest  pride 
in  their  organization.  The  reception  committee  for 
the  evening  consisted  of  the  following:  Mr.  E.  W. 
Austin,  Mr.  A.  V.  Hart,  Mr.  C.  D.  Lakey,  Dr.  J.  K. 
MacConnell,  Mr.  F.  J.  Newcomb,  Mr.  George  G. 
Teller,  and  Mr.  B.  A.  Towl. 

Among  the  newspapers,  secular  and  religious, 
which  contained  more  or  less  full  reports  of  the  an- 
niversary exercises  were  these:  the  Cranford  Citi- 
zcn,  and  Chronicle;  the  Elizabeth  Daily  Journal;  thfe 
New  York  Tribune,  the  Mail  and  Express,  and  the 
Evening  Post,  and  the  New  York  Observer;  and  the 
Philadelphia  Presbyterian. 

*See  Appendix  IV.  p.  66.       f  See  Appendix  V.  p.  73. 


FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  53 


IX. 

THE    FUTURE. 

If  you  can  look  into  the  seeds  of  time, 

And  say  which  grain  will  grow,  and  which  will  not; 

Speak  then  to  me. 

— Shakespeaj'c . 

'*  How  narrow  our  souls  become,"  says  Richter, 
"  when  absorbed  in  any  present  good  or  ill !  It  is 
only  the  thought  of  the  future  that  makes  them 
great."  The  noble  company  of  men  and  women 
who  have  been  of  our  Church,  and  loved  it,  during 
the  half-century  of  its  life  would  have  followed  a 
mean  motive  if  they  had  used  their  church  privi- 
leges only  for  present  blessing,  forgetful  of  the 
claim  upon  them  of  a  later  generation.  And  if  we, 
who  are  in  a  large  sense  reaping  in  the  spiritual 
field  where  our  fathers  have  sown,  recognize  aright 
our  mission  we  shall  think,  plan,  and  pray  for  those 
who  are  to  take  our  places  when  we  have  finished 
our  allotted  tasks  in  our  Zion  and  gone  to  our  rest. 
What,  then,  of  our  Church's  future? 

So  substantial,  commodious,  convenient,  and 
beautiful  is  our  house  of  worship  that  we  cannot 
believe  that  during  the  ensuing  fifty  years  any  new 
building  enterprise  will  demand  the  attention  of 
our  membership.    To  use  a  commercial  expression. 


54  HISTORY  OF  THE 

our  "  plant  "  is  apparently  solid  and  well-equipped; 
and  it  ought  to  meet  all  its  requirements  for  a  long 
time  to  come.  If  we  may  believe  that  Cranford  is 
to  remain  the  attractive  suburb  it  now  is,  and  that  it 
is  to  grow  as  it  has  grown  durng  the  past  twenty 
years,  it  will  not  require  a  great  exercise  of  the  pro- 
phetic gift  to  foresee  that  not  long  hence  our  con- 
gregation will  have  grown  to  double  its  present 
proportions.  In  fifteen  years  our  membership  has 
grown  from  125  to  377.  During  the  next  fifteen 
years  it  ought  to  grow  to  600  or  700.  Is  it  too 
much  to  believe  that  fifty  years  from  now  our  mem- 
bership will  not  be  less  than  1000?  In  a  former 
generation  it  would  have  been  predicted  from  our 
present  numerical  standpoint  that  a  second  Pres- 
byterian church  would  soon  swarm  out  from  the 
mother  hive;  but  the  present  tendency  is  all  in  the 
direction  of  strengthening  existing  churches,  instead 
of  wasting  money  and  spiritual  force  in  multiply- 
ing small  congregations.  In  the  business  world  the 
trend  is  constantly  toward  centralizing  power  and 
responsibility,  and  so  securing  economy,  through 
combination.  And  the  same  law  is  bound  to  pre- 
vail in  the  ecclesiastical  world.  Fortunately  for 
Cranford,  and  fortunately  for  our  Church, — and, 
we  may  add,  fortunately  for  the  cause  of  Christ, — 
the  logic  of  events  is  working  to  prevent  the  estab- 
lishment of  new  churches  in  our  place.  If  the  prin- 
ciples of  forbearance,  charity,  and  concession  are 
to  prevail  in  our  circle  there  is  no  reason  why,  for 
long  years,  all  who  can  occupy  the  broad  platform 


FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  55 

of  our  Presbyterian  system  may  not  worship  hap- 
pily togetlier  under  our  one  roof.  We  may  look, 
then,  to  the  steady  growth  of  this  Church  in  num- 
bers and  in  strength,  if  it  please  God,  until  its  first 
century  is  rounded  out. 

We  may  likewise  trust  that  during  the  coming 
years  the  glad  news  of  Jesus  Christ  will  continue 
to  be  preached  in  our  pulpit,  unmixed  wath  purely 
human  opinions,  and  unattended  by  sensational 
elements.  This  will  not  imply  that  the  faces  of  our 
members  will  be  toward  the  sunset,  ^len  need  not 
depart  from  Christ  in  order  to  be  true  learners,  and 
to  discover  new  truth  and  new  methods  of  declar- 
ing it.  New  light  is  ever  to  break  forth  from  the 
Word  of  God.  The  nature  of  Christ  and  the  scope 
of  His  Gospel  are  so  vast  that  His  followers  are 
bound  to  be  kept  from  the  dreary  domain  of  old- 
fogyism  so  long  as  their  eye  is  kept  upon  their 
adorable  Lord.  Let  us  hope  that  our  Church  wall 
never  betray  Christ  and  follow  after  strange  divini- 
ties, while  it  is  yet  sufficiently  receptive  of  truth  to 
keep  up  with  God's  own  movement  along  the  ages. 
But  the  Church  that  grows  healthily  must  remain 
upon  the  immovable  foundation  once  for  all  estab- 
lished by  the  infinite  and  infallible  Builder. 

Difficulties  will  be  encountered  by  our  Church, 
but  through  the  grace  of  God  and  by  the  faith  of 
His  people  they  wall  be  overcome.  There  are  prob- 
lems that  have  recently  arisen  to  be  solved  by  the 
suburban  church.  Forces  have  begun  to  be  ar- 
rayed against  faith  and  spirituality  that  are  peculiar 


56  FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

to  localities  of  the  stamp  of  ours.  But  the  trust  and 
devotion  of  the  faithful,  be  they  few  or  many,  and 
whatever  their  local  conditions,  can  remove  moun- 
tains; and  our  faith  is  great  that  this  center  of 
spiritual  influence  will  not  lose  its  grip  upon  the 
community,  but  that  it  will  rather  grow,  even  as 
Truth  itself  grows,  toward  an  absolute  supremacy. 
The  blessings  of  God  be  multiplied,  then,  upon  the 
First — and  the  only — Presbyterian  Church  of  Cran- 
ford! 


APPENDIX. 


57 


APPENDIX    I. 
LIST  OF  ELDERS,  WITH  DATES  OF  ORDINATION. 


Samuel  White  Thompson, 
Josiah  Crane, 
William  Crane, 
John  Miller, 
Ebenezer  Hart, 
J.  A.  Baldwin, 
Job  S.  Williams, 
John  Seaton, 
Nathaniel  G.  Foster, 
Fisher  A.  Fisher, 
Ira  Canfield, 
Noel  R.  Park,     . 
Joseph  S.  Ehvell, 
John  W.  Close, 
Dr.  Joseph  K.  MacConnell, 
William  D.  Wood,      . 
William  E.  Smith,      . 
Edgar  S.  Ells,     . 
Edmund  B.  Horton, 
Edward  M.  Wray,      . 
George  H.  Krause,     . 
Spencer  C.  Blake, 
Samuel  Brush,    . 
Frank  H.  Valentine, 
Walter  M.  Irving, 
Charles  T.  Bingham, 
Edward  W.  Hazen,    . 
Nathaniel  R.  Foster, 
Frederick  E.  Woodruff, 


June  26,  1851. 
1  <         •  I 

<  i         ( < 
April  6,  1S58. 


April  19,  1S65. 
April  14,  1866. 
April  3,  1S67. 
October  4,  1868. 
April  6,  1870. 
May  5,  1872. 

March  29,  1874, 


April  14,  1878. 
April  17,  1881. 

April  22,  1888. 

April  14,  1889. 
April  19,  1891. 
May  5,  1893. 
June  24,  1894. 
April  19,  1896. 
April  15,  1900. 
April  28,  1901. 


THE    SESSION    IN    I9OI. 

J.  K.  MacConnell.  Edward  M.  Wray,  Clerk. 

Spencer  C.  Blake,  Treasurer.  Nathaniel  R.  Foster. 

Frederick  E.  Woodruff. 


58 


APPENDIX. 


APPENDIX    II. 


LIST  OF  DEACONS. 


John  Grant  Crane, 
David  Miller, 
Josiah  Crane,  Jr., 
Jacob  N.  Irving, 
George  M.  Lane, 

E.  B.  Horton, 
Theo.  A.  Crane, 
N.  R.  Foster, 
Stephen  D.  Day, 

F.  E.  Woodruff, 
Daniel  Burr, 
Charles  H.  Clarke, 


Ordained 
OR  Installed. 

June  26,  1S51. 

April  5,  1865. 
March  29,  1874. 
April  6,  1874. 
June  27,  1S80. 
June  26,  1881. 
April  6,  1894. 

April  10,  i8g6. 
April  7,  1S99. 
April  28,  1901. 


Ceased  to  Act. 

March  29,  1874. 
April  10,  1861. 
March  29,  1S74. 


June  24,  1875. 
April  17,  1881. 


April  7,  1899. 
Jan.  22,  1898. 
April  12,  1901. 


THE    BOARD    IN    I9OI. 


Jacob  N.  Irving, 
Daniel  Burr. 


Theodore  A.  Crane. 
Charles  H.  Clarke. 


I.  Jasper  C.   Hunt,   Chairmun.        2.  N.  R.  Foster.        3.  Rt^bert  Riridell. 
4.  L.  P.  Naylor.     5.  H.  N.  Fiske.    6.  J.  C.  Miller.     7.  John  Lutton. 

THE   BOARD   OF   TRUSTEES 


APPENDIX. 


59 


APPENDIX    III. 

LIST    OF   TRUSTEES,    1869-1901. 


Josiali  Crane,  Sr. 
Job  S.  Williams. 
Fisher  A.  Fisher. 
J.  G.  Crane. 
J.  A.  Murdock. 
Josiah  Crane,  Jr. 
N.  G.  Foster. 
A.  P.  Purves. 
J.  W.  Close. 
J.  A.  Elmendorf. 

E.  K.  Adams. 
H.  H.  Cowan. 

F.  A.  Ellis. 

W.  D.  Bigelow. 
J.  A.  Bogert. 

G.  B.  Osborn. 


R.  Rindell. 
G.  G.  Ely. 
E.  M.  Wray. 
W.  M.  Irving. 
P.  D.  Van  Saun. 
E.  W.  Austin. 
J.  C.  Hunt. 
H.  B.  Lounsbury 
E.  B.  Horton. 
John  Hegeman. 
J.  C.  Miller. 
Joseph  Purcell. 
N.  R.  Foster. 
L.  P.  Naylor. 
John  Lutton. 
H.  N.  Fiske. 


THE    BOARD    OF    TRUSTEES    IN    IQOI. 

Jasper  C.  Hunt,  Chairman.  Robert  Rindell,  Clerk. 

John  Lutton,  Treasurer.  James  C.  Miller. 

Nathaniel  R.  Foster.  Lawrence  P.  Naylor. 

Harvey  N.  Fiske. 


6o 


APPENDIX. 


APPENDIX    IV. 


MExMBERSHIP    ROLL,    SEPTEMBER  i,   1901. 

[Explanation:  The  title  "  j\Irs."  is  used  uniformly  be- 
fore the  names  of  married  women.  "  Miss"  is  used  before 
the  names  of  unmarried  women  only  when  the  sex  is  other- 
wise undetermined.  The  names  of  men  are  to  be  under- 
stood in  cases  where  the  sex  is  not  indicated. 

Omissions  from  this  Roll  may  be  explained  by  the 
annual  transfer  of  names  of  absentees,  etc.,  to  the 
"  Reserved  Roll."] 


Adams,  Caroline  L. 
Adams,  Mrs.  E.  K. 
Allen,  W.  C. 
Allen,  Mrs.  W.  C. 
Anderson,  Mrs.  W.  W. 
Anderson,  Adelaide  Julia. 
Anthony,  Mrs.  Edw.  J.,  Jr. 
Austin,  Shelley  F. 

Barker,  Wesley  P. 
Barker,  Mrs.  W.  P. 
Barnett,  Mrs.  Susan. 
Barnett,  Lewis  M. 
Bartow,  Wm.  N. 
Bartow,  Mrs.  Wm.  N. 
Bates,  George  H. 
Beadle,  Edw.,  Jr. 
Beadle,  Mrs.  Edw.,  Jr. 
Beadle,  Chas.  S.* 
Beadle,  Mrs.  Chas.  S.* 

*  Garwood 


Beebe,  George  A 
Beebe,  Mrs.  George  A. 
Beebe,  Allyn  W. 
Benedict,  Miss  Susan  A. 
Bennet,  Miss  E.  G. 
Beyer,  Annie, 
Beyer,  Elizabeth. 
Bindenberger,  Carrie. 
Bindenberger,  Louise. 
Bingham,  C.  T. 
Bingham,  Mrs.  C.  T. 
Blake,  S.  C. 
Blake,  Mrs.  S.  C. 
Blake,  Robert  W. 
Blake,  Mrs.  R.  W. 
Blauvelt,  C.  M. 
Blauvclt,  Mrs.  C.  M. 
Blauvelt,  Frank  Carr. 
Bookhout,  Mrs.  Edw. 
Bookhout,  Mrs.  Edw.,  Jr 
Chapel. 


APPENDIX. 


6i 


Bookhout,  Clarissa  A. 
Bowne,    Jennie  Gale. 
Bowne,  Margaret  Anna. 
Brackebush,  Jennie  F. 
Brackebush,  Louise  M. 
Brackebush,  Teressa  V. 
Bradley,  Theo.  F. 
Bradley,  Mrs.  Theo.  F. 
Bradley,  May. 
Bradley,  Florence  E. 
Brown,  George  E. 
Brown,  Mrs.  George  E. 
Brown,  Fannie  E. 

Brown,  Susie  G. 
Brown,  Gilbert  LeRoy. 

Brown,  Mrs.  Arthur  L. 

Brundage,  F.  N. 

Brundage,  Mrs.  F.  N. 

Brundage,  Susie  R. 

Brush,  Mrs.  Hannah. 

Burley,  Mary  A. 

Burling,  E.  G. 

Burling,  Mrs.  E.  G. 

Burr,  Daniel, 

Burr,  Mrs.  Daniel. 

Cavalier,  Mrs.  Joseph. 
Cavalier,  Mary  L. 
Clarke,  C.  H. 
Clarke,  Mrs.  C.  H. 
Clarke,  Wm.  C. 
Clarke,  Mrs.  Wm.  C. 
Clement,  Mrs.  R.  E. 
Close,  Mrs.  John  W. 
Cox,  Mrs.  Mary  T. 
Cox,  Howard. 
Cox,  Mrs.  Howard. 


Cox,  Stephen  J. 
Cox,  Mrs.  S.  J. 
Cox,  Frank  E. 
Cox,  Clifton  Ray. 
Crane,  Mrs.  E.  S. 
Crane,  James  E. 
Crane,  J.  C. 
Crane,  Mrs.  J.  C. 
Crane,  J.  M. 
Crane,  Mrs.  J.  M. 
Crane,  Abby  C. 
Crane,  Theo.  A. 
Crane,  Mrs.  Theo.  A. 
Crane,  Annie  S. 
Crane,  Mabel  C. 
Crane,  Fannie  E. 
Crane,  Grace  L. 
Crane,  Mrs.  Wallace. 
Crane,  Mrs.  Sarah  F. 
Crane,  J.  Irving. 
Crane,  Ada  M. 
Crane,  ]\lrs.  Chas.  E. 
Crane,  Edward  B. 
Crane,  Robert  E. 
Crane,  Walter  Muir. 
Cromwell,  J.  H. 
Culin,  Mrs.  C.  G. 

Davison,  Mrs.  Samuel. 
Day,  Chas   H. 
Day,  Mrs.  Chas.  H. 
Deckhut,  Caroline. 
Deckhut,  Elizabeth. 
Deckhut,  Kate. 
Deckhut,  Annie. 
Denman,  John  C. 
Denman,  Mrs.  John  C. 


62 


APPENDIX. 


Derby,  John  L. 
Derby,  Mrs.  John  L. 
Derby,  J.  L.,  Jr. 
Derby,  Jacob  B. 
Dohrman,  Mrs.  J.  K. 
Du  Mont,  Peter. 
Du  Mont,  Mrs.  Peter. 
Du  Mont,  Mrs.  H.  K. 
Duncombe,  Frank  E. 
Duncombe,  Mrs.  Frank  E. 
Dunham,  Emeline. 

Ely,  George  G. 
Ely,  Mrs.  G.  G. 
Ely,  Augustus  G. 
Everett,  David  A. 
Everett,  Mrs.  David  A. 
Everett,  Helen  Esther. 
Everett,  Edward. 
Everett,  Mrs.  Edward. 

Fiske,  Harvey  N. 
Fontaine,  Mrs.  H.  T. 
Foster,  N.  G. 
Foster,  N.  R. 
Foster,  Mrs.  N.  R. 
Foster,  Mary  E. 
Fox,  George  F. 
Fretz,  Mrs.  C.  A. 
Garthwait,  Martha  E. 
Graham,  Robt.  W. 
Gray,  Elizabeth. 
Gray,  Wm.  N. 
Gray,  Augustus  T. 
Gray,  William  N.,  Jr. 
Gray,  W.  L. 
Greene,  Mrs.  G.  F. 


Hall,  Philip  W. 
Hall,  Mrs.  P.  W. 
Halsey,  Herbert  W. 
Halsey,  L.  H. 
Hann,  George  A.* 
Hann,  Mrs.  George  A.* 
Hart,  Mrs.  E.  W. 
Hart,  Alfred  V. 
Hart,  Mrs.  A.  V. 
Hart,  Joseph  T. 
Hazen,  Edw.  W. 
Hazen,  Mrs.  Edw.  W. 
Hedenberg,  Mrs.  George. 
Hegeman,  Mrs.  Harry. 
Herron,  Mrs.  R.  B. 
Herron,  Annie  E. 
Herron,  Essie. 
Heston,  Mrs.  E.  E. 
Higbie,  Mrs.  Wm. 
Higbie,  Mary  L. 
Hillier,  Isaac  V.  S. 
Hillier,  Mrs.  Carrie. 
Hodgson,  Mrs.  W.  C. 
Hopkins,  A.  C. 
Hunt,  J.  C. 
Hunt,  Mrs.  J.  C. 
Hyne,  Mrs.  E.  B. 

Irving,  J.  N. 
Irving,  Mrs.  J.  N. 
Irving,  David  D. 
Irving,  Mrs.  D.  D. 
Isenmann,  Annie, 
Isenmann,  iNl  aggie. 


Jackson,  Ella  L. 
Jeamby,  Mrs.  P. 

*  Garwood  Chapel. 


APPENDIX. 


63 


Johnson,  E.  A. 
Johnson,  Mrs.  E,  A. 
Josephs,  Emily  J. 

Kane,  Mrs.  John  D. 
Kauffman,  Mrs.  George. 
Klase,  Mrs.  Susan  E. 
Krause,  George  H. 
Krause,  Mrs.  George  H. 
Krause,  Grace  M. 
Krause,  Florence  P. 

Lakey,  Chas.  D. 
Lanning,  Christina. 
Lent,  David  B.* 
Littell,  George  W. 
Littell,  Mrs.  George  W. 
Littell,  Nellie  L. 
Littell,  Mary  E. 
Littell,  Clara. 
Lutton,  John. 
Lutton,  Mrs.  John. 

Madden,  H.  G. 
Madden,  Mrs.  H.  G. 
Marien,  John. 
Marien,  Mrs,  John. 
Marsh,  Wm.  G. 
Marsh,  Mrs.  Wm.  G. 
Martin,  Hugh. 
Martin,  Mrs.  Hugh. 
Martin,  Mrs.  Fred. 
Mathey,  Mrs.  L.  H. 
Metcalf,  George  R. 
Metcalf,  Mrs.  G.  R. 
Miller,  Alonzo  W. 
Miller,  J.  K. 


Miller,  Mrs.  J.  K. 
Miller,  Jas.  C. 
Miller,  Mrs.  J.  C. 
Miller,  Jas.  D. 
Miller,  Elizabeth. 
Miller,  Margaretta. 
Miller,  Mary  E. 
Miller,  Libbie  L. 
Miller,  Jeptha  E. 
Miller,  Mrs.  Charles  S. 
Montgomery,  Mrs.  A. 
Moore,  Jas.  G. 
Moore,  Mrs.  James  G. 
Moore,  Elmer  L. 
Moore,  Mrs.  E.  L. 
Moore,  Mabel  O. 
Moore,  Frederick  Jas. 
Moore,  Elizabeth  Cook. 
Moore,  Ethel  May. 
Myers,  George. 
Myers,  Mrs.  George. 
McDanolds,  Miss  Ella. 
MacConnell,  J.  K. 
MacConnell,  C.  W. 
MacConnell,  Mrs.  C.  W. 
MacConnell,  Gertrude  J. 

Naylor,  L.  P. 
Naylor,  Mrs.  L.  P. 
Neipp,  Rosa. 
Newman,  Mrs.  George. 

Osborne,  Mrs.  D.  K. 

Pargiter,  Alexander. 
Park,  Noel  R. 
Park,  Fred  W. 


*  Garwood  Chapel. 


64 


APPENDIX. 


Park,  Mrs.  Fred  W. 
Park,  Helen  R. 
Park,  J.  Caldwell. 
Parks,  Sadie. 
Parks,  Wm.  N. 
Peniston,  Mrs.  J.  F. 
Phillips,  Mrs.  Henry. 
Pierson,  Mrs.  Mary. 
Pierson,  Ethel  May.* 
Plummer,  Elizabeth  C. 
Plummer,  Florence  H. 
Potter,  John  A. 
Power,  Mrs.  E.  B. 
Purcell,  Joseph. 
Purcell,  Mrs.  Jos. 

Rankin,  Mrs.  J.  C.  W. 
Reed,  Mrs.  Dora  A.  W. 
Reeder,  Wm.  W.* 
Reeder,  Mrs.  Wm.  W.* 
Richmond,  Maggie. 
Rindell,  Robert. 
Rindell,  Mrs.  Robert. 
Robertson,  J.  S. 
Robertson,  Mrs.  J.  S. 
Robertson,  Miss  Mary. 
Robinson,  Mrs.  R.   B. 
Robinson,  Miss  E.  M. 
Robinson,  Miss  Eva. 
Robinson,  Mrs.  W.  R. 
Rosencrantz,  Mrs.  Marion. 
Rosencrantz,  J.  J. 
Rosencrantz,  Mrs.  J.  J. 
Rosencrantz,  Willard  C. 
Rosencrantz.  Waldo  B. 
Rosencrantz,  Mrs.  Waldo  B. 
Rosencrantz,  J.  Sabine. 

*  Garwood 


Sackett,  Eliza  D. 
Sanford,  J.  Halsey. 
Sanford,  Mrs.  J.  H. 
Sargent,  Walter  F.* 
Schwegler,  Mrs.  Alice  V. 
Scott,  Ellen. 
Severns,  Mrs.  Frank. 
Shaw,  Wesley  A. 
Shaw,  Mrs.  Wesley  A. 
Smith,  Mrs.  W.  B. 
Smith,  Mabel. 
Smock,  Daniel  P. 
Smock,  Mrs.  D.  P. 
Smock,  Mabel  J. 
Stewart,  Helena. 
Stickle,  Susie. 
Sulzer,  Mrs.  Chas.  F. 
Sutton,  Edwin  J. 

Taylor,  C.  J. 
Taylor,  Mrs.  C.  J. 
Taylor,  Miss  M. 
Taylor,  Lenita. 
Teller,  George  G. 
Teller,  Mrs.  G.  G. 
Teller,  Ida  B. 
Teller,  Edna  P. 
Teuber,  Annie  G. 
Thomas,  Wendell  M. 
Thomas,  Mrs.  W.  M. 
Thornton,  Mrs.  H.  C. 
Towl,  Burr  A. 
Towl,  Mrs.  Burr  A. 
Townley,  N.  M. 
Townley,  Mrs.  N.  M. 
Travis,  J.  M. 
Travis,  Mrs.  J.  M. 

Chapel. 


APPENDIX. 


65 


Truax,  R.  M. 
Tusch,  Mrs.  Albert. 
Tusch,  Albert,  Jr. 
Tusch,  Wilbur. 

Valentine,  F.  H. 
Valentine,  :\Irs.  F.  H. 
Van  Saun,  P.  D. 
Van  Saun,  Mrs.  P.  D. 
Van  Saun,  Henry  R. 
Van  Saun,  Mrs.  H.  R. 
Vigelius,  Mrs.  Wm. 
Voorhees,  Judson. 
Voorhees,  Mrs.  Judson. 
Voorhees,  Harr3^ 
Voorbis,  Mrs.  C.  G. 
Voorhis,  E.  Louise. 
Voorhis,  Alice. 
Vreeland,  Minnie  M. 
Vreeland,  Emily  M. 
Vreeland,  Mrs.  Maggie  B. 

Wagner,  Minnie  E. 
Watson,  Mrs.  Grace. 


Watson,  George  A. 
Watson,  Mrs.  George. 
Watson,  Lottie. 
Watson,  Jeanie. 
Westergaard,  Christian. 
Westergaard,  Mrs.  Chris. 
Westergaard,  Mary. 
Westergaard,  Annie  M. 
Winans,  Mrs.  Annie  C. 
Winckler,  Mrs.  F.  C.  W. 
Winckler,  Marguerite  Elise. 
Winkie,  Mrs.  Chas. 
Winne,  S.  W. 
Wood,  Mrs.  W.  D. 
Wood,  Fred  W. 
Wood,  Ethel  L. 
Woodhull,  Mrs.  Sarah  D. 
Woodruff,  Mrs.  P.  O. 
Woodruff^  Fred  E. 
Woodruff,  Mrs.  Fred  E. 
Woodruff,  Marian  B. 
Wray,  E.  M. 
Wray,  Mrs.  E.  M. 
Wrenn,  Mrs.  T.  A. 


66  APPENDIX. 


APPENDIX    V. 

THE   TWEXTIETH    CENTURY    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH. 

(Address  of  Rev.  W.  H.  Roberts,  D.  D.,  LL.  U.,  at 
Jubilee  Service,  Cranford,  June  12,  1901.  Revised  by  the 
speaker.) 

It  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  be  present  on  this 
historic  occasion,  and  to  tender  to  your  efficient  and 
talented  pastor,  and  to  you  as  a  congregation, 
hearty  congratulations.  As  Mr.  Greene  suggested 
in  his  introductory  remarks,  I  have  most  pleasant 
and  happy  memories  in  connection  with  this 
Church,  in  which  I  was  privileged  to  serve  for  four 
years  at  the  opening  of  my  ministerial  career. 
Your  continued  prosperity  has  been  a  source  of 
joy  to  me,  and  I  have  remembered  you  always  in 
my  prayers.  Wishing  you  yet  greater  prosperity 
in  the  future  than  in  the  past,  I  invite  you  to  con- 
sideration of  the  subject  which  has  been  assigned 
me  for  an  address,  viz.:  "The  Twentieth  Century 
Presbyterian  Church." 

In  dealing  with  this  subject,  it  is  well  to  recall 
some  of  the  characteristics  of  our  Church  which 
have  been  features  of  its  life  during  its  entire  ex- 
istence. 

(i)  This  Church  of  ours  sprang  into  being  on 
American  soil,  and  has  been  from  its  first  estabhsh- 


APPENDIX.  67 

ment  a  Church  independent  of  all  Churches  in  for- 
eign lands.  American  in  its  origin,  it  has  always 
been  in  full  sympathy  and  complete  adjustment 
with  American  ideas  and  the  development  of  the 
American  nation. 

(2)  Our  Church,  further,  was  historically  the 
first  of  American  republics.  Its  General  Pres- 
bytery antedated  by  three-quarters  of  a  century  the 
Continental  Congress.  It  represented,  for  that 
period  of  time  before  American  independence,  all 
the  ideas  in  which  as  a  nation  we  believe  and  which 
make  us  to  differ  from  other  nations.  The  oldest 
of  American  republics,  it  contributed  more  than 
any  other  ecclesiastical  institution  during  the  sev- 
enteenth and  eighteenth  centuries  to  the  forces 
w^hich  brought  about  American  independence. 

(3)  It  has  been  from  the  first  a  Church  maintaining 
the  right  of  all  citizens  to  education.  Harvard,  Yale, 
and  Princeton  Universities  were  founded  by  men 
who  believed  in  the  Westminster  Confession.  If 
they  were  not  all  Presbyterians,  the  early  Fathers 
of  this  Republic  were  all  Calvinists,  and  in  the 
United  States,  as  in  other  lands,  Calvinism  and 
popular  education  have  gone  forward  hand  in  hand. 

(4)  Our  Church  has  been  faithful  to  its  convic- 
tions as  to  truth.  It  has  magnified  the  Word  of 
God  above  all  other  sources  of  truth,  as  the  only 
infallible  rule  of  faith  and  conduct.  It  has  clung 
tenaciously  to  the  Bible  as  its  supreme  Creed,  and 
has  resolutely  maintained  what  is  called  the  Cal- 
vinistic  system  as  being  the  Biblical  system  of  truth. 


68  APPENDIX. 

(5)  While  strenuous  in  its  maintenance  of  what 
it  beHeves  to  be  truth,  our  Church  has  been  tlior- 
oughly  evangeHcal  in  its  spirit  and  conduct.  The 
first  Presbytery  at  its  first  recorded  meetings  took 
steps  to  send  home  missionaries  to  what  were  re- 
garded as  the  spirituahy  destitute  places  of  the 
country;  and  among  these  was  the  very  region  in 
which  this  church  is  now  located.  Its  Home  Mis- 
sions are  to-day  found  in  every  State  and  Territory 
of  our  own  land,  and  its  Foreign  Missions  in  fifteen 
different  countries.  As  General  Benjamin  Harri- 
son has  said,  "  Though  it  has  made  no  boast  nor 
shout,  it  has  yet  been  an  aggressive  Church;  it  has 
been  a  missionary  Church  from  the  beginning." 

(6)  It  has  been  a  Church  cherishing  a  true 
catholicity.  No  Church  exists  which  can  rightly 
claim  as  exclusive  property  the  name  catholic  or 
universal,  but  every  Church  ought  to  evince  the 
possession  of  a  catholic  spirit.  This  spirit  is  a 
marked  feature  of  the  American  Presbyterian 
Church.  In  the  Confession  of  Faith  these  words 
appear:  "  It  is  the  duty  of  civil  magistrates  to  pro- 
tect the  Church  of  our  common  Lord,  without  giv- 
ing the  preference  to  any  denomination  of  Chris- 
tians above  the  rest."  Presbyterianism  has  been 
synonomous  with  that  true  catholicity  which  cheer- 
fully accords  to  others,  whatever  opinions  they  may 
cherish,  their  full  rights  of  conscience. 

It  is  fitting  next  to  note  the  blessing  of  God  upon 
our  Church  since  its  first  establishment.  It  is 
sometimes   said   that   the    Presbyterian   system    of 


APPENDIX.  69 

doctrine  cannot  be  preached,  and  that  oiu*  Church 
lacks  certain  popular  features.  Neither  of  these 
allegations  is  true — both  are  disproved  by  the  facts. 
God  has  blessed  our  Church  during  the  two  cen- 
turies of  its  existence  equally  with,  and  some  think 
above,  any  other  Christian  denomination  in  the 
country.  As  you  well  know,  during  the  nineteenth 
century  our  communicants  increased  from  20,000 
to  1,000,000;  and  more  than  2,200,000  persons  were 
received  into  our  congregations  on  confession  of 
faith  in  the  course  of  the  one  hundred  years  from 
1801  to  1900.  In  the  great  missionary  advances  of 
the  century,  both  on  the  home  and  foreign  fields, 
our  Church  has  been  in  the  van,  and  has  been  so 
prospered  of  God  that  there  are  twice  as  many 
communicants  in  our  Foreign  Mission  churches  to- 
day as  there  were  in  the  wdiole  United  States  in 
1801.  Other  facts  w^hich  might  be  dwelt  upon 
there  is  not  time  to  state,  but  the  historv  of  our 
Church  during  two  centuries  emphasizes  the  fact 
that  for  the  work  of  Christ  in  the  w^orld,  America 
has  been  but  another  name  for  opportunity.  Fur- 
ther, the  Divine  favor  accorded  in  the  past  is  a  sure 
foundation  of  hope  for,  and  new  endeavor  in,  the 
future. 

We  now  turn  our  thoughts  toward  the  century 
in  which  we  live.  What  of  the  Twentieth  Century 
Presbyterian  Church?  The  Twentieth  Century 
Presbyterian  Church  w^ill  not  differ  in  any  essential 
matters  from  the  American  church  of  the  nine- 
teenth,   or    eighteenth,    or    seventeenth    centuries. 


70  APPENDIX. 

The  proverb  "  In  to-day  walks  to-morrow,"  is  for- 
ever true,  and  is  simply  the  recognition  of  the 
operation  of  the  law  of  heredity  in  the  sphere  of 
grace,  as  well  as  that  of  nature.  Our  Presbyterian 
Church  will  be  as  fully  in  sympathy  in  this  century 
Avith  the  developments  of  American  political,  so- 
cial, and  religious  life,  as  in  any  one  of  the  past 
three  centuries.  It  will  continue  to  be  one  of  the 
controlling  forces  in  the  mental  and  moral  growth 
of  the  Republic.  Its  interest  in  popular  education 
and  other  national  institutions  will  grow  more  in- 
tense as  the  necessity  therefor  becomes  the  more 
clear  in  God's  Providence.  It  will  maintain  as  reso- 
lutely, in  coming  years  as  in  the  past,  the  su- 
premacy" of  the  Word  of  God  over  human  thought 
and  human  life.  Not  man,  but  God,  it  will  rightly 
insist,  is  competent  to  determine  what  is  right  and 
wrong,  either  in  faith  or  practice.  The  evangelistic 
spirit  which  has  characterized  it  in  the  past,  will 
be  yet  more  manifest  in  the  future.  Our  home 
missionaries  have  been  already  for  more  than  a 
year  at  work  in  the  recently  acquired  territories. 
And  the  stations  in  China,  made  doubly  sacred  by 
the  blood  of  martyrs,  are  already  occupied  or 
shortly  will  be  occupied,  by  devoted  servants  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Conscious  of  the  blessings 
which  God  has  bestowed  upon  it,  our  Church  is 
now  engaged  in  a  successful  endeavor  to  make 
preparation  for  a  more  prosperous  future,  by  pay- 
ing ofif  the  debts  of  local  churches,  by  making 
needed  improvements  in  all  the  congregations,  by 


APPENDIX.  7 1 

endowing  its  educational  and  charitable  institu- 
tions, and,  above  all,  by  a  systematic  plan  of 
evangelistic  work,  with  a  view  to  full  obedience 
within  this  land  to  the  Saviour's  command  to 
preach  His  Gospel  to  every  creature.  While  attend- 
ing earnestly  to  its  own  work  for  the  Master,  it  will 
continue  further  to  cherish  the  broadest  sympathies 
toward  all  other  bodies  of  Christians;  denying  the 
Christianity  or  the  churchliness  of  no  denomina- 
tion, but  working  resolutely  side  by  side  with  all 
who  bear  the  name  of  Jesus,  in  this  and  in  other 
lands,  for  the  salvation  of  a  lost  world. 

Talking  the  other  day  with  a  friend,  who  is  not 
a  Presbyterian,  he  remarked  that  our  "  Church  was 
at  once  the  narrowest  and  the  broadest  of  the 
Christian  denominations."  There  is  much  signifi- 
cance in  the  statement.  It  is  narrow,  but  only  as 
the  Word  of  God  is  narrow.  It  insists  and  rightly 
so,  that  there  is  a  broad  way  which  leads  to  ruin, 
and  a  narrow  way  which  leads  to  life  eternal.  It 
is  unqualified  in  its  declaration  that  for  adults  faith 
in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  the  irrevocable  condi- 
tion of  salvation.  It  is  narrow  in  its  declarations  of 
Scripture  truth,  as  some  weak  men  count  narrow- 
ness, because  truth  is  always  intolerant  of  falsehood. 
It  is  narrow,  in  short,  because  it  is  honest,  and  in- 
telligent, and  obedient  to  God. 

But  it  is  also  broad;  broad  in  its  sympathies, 
broad  in  its  view  of  the  possibilities  of  salvation  for 
a  lost  world,  broad  in  its  insistence  that  the  will  of 
that  God,  who  is  at  once  a  Sovereign  and  a  Father, 


72  APPENDIX.     . 

is  the  dominant  factor  in  the  destiny  of  man;  broad 
in  inchiding  within  the  certainties  of  salvation  all 
infants  dying  in  infancy,  and  other  persons  in- 
capable of  faith;  broad  in  its  proclamation  of  the 
Gospel  to  every  creature;  broad  in  its  recognition 
of  all  Christians  as  brethren  in  Christ,  and  of  all 
men  as  possible  sharers  in  the  joys  and  glories  of 
the  life  everlasting.  Narrow  is  our  Church  be- 
cause it  is  true  to  the  law  of  God,  and  broad  because 
it  is  in  full  sympathy  with  the  love  of  God.  This 
narrowness  and  this  breadth  are  certain  to  char- 
acterize our  Church  in  the  Twentieth  Century  as 
in  past  centuries,  and  both  will  make  it  increas- 
ingly a  power  for  the  moral  welfare  of  this  nation, 
for  the  salvation  of  souls,  for  the  inbringing  of 
Christ's  Kingdom  throughout  the  world,  and  for 
the  ushering  in  of  that  glorious  time,  when  all 
enemies,  even  death,  shall  have  been  conquered, 
and  when  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  shall  reign  as  the 
blessed  and  only  potentate  over  a  glorified  human- 
ity and  a  redeemed  universe. 


APPENDIX.  73 


APPENDIX    VI. 

TPIE    SUBURBAN    CHURCH. 

(Address  of  Rev.  J.  F.  Riggs,  D.  D.,  at  Jubilee  Service, 
Cranford,  June  12,  1901.     Revised  by  the  speaker.) 

Ix  a  human  body  the  bony  system,  the  muscular 
system,  and  the  nervous,  respiratory,  and  vascular 
systems  together,  make  up  one  highly  complex  or- 
ganism. So,  in  a  church,  there  is  the  family  idea 
of  mutual  aid,  encouragement,  and  counsel;  the  fi- 
nancial idea  of  meeting  all  obligations  honestly  out 
of  a  common  treasury;  the  ecclesiastical  idea  of 
relationship  to  other  churches;  and  the  spiritual 
idea  of  soul  life,  of  edification,  or  relation  to  God 
and  to  His  revealed  truth.  Hence  a  church,  like  a 
body,  is  a  very  sensitive  and  highly  complex 
organism. 

The  problem  of  church  polity  is — How  far  can 
we  carry  out  this  theory,  and  by  what  methods? 
The  term  "  Church  "  is  employed  in  various  ways, 
as  when  we  speak  of  the  "  Church  of  England  "  or 
of  the  M.  E.  and  P.  E.  Churches.  But  it  may  also 
be  used  as  a  convenient  term  to  designate  the  local 
body  of  believers  who  worship  together  under  one 
roof,  the  congregation.  In  such  a  community  the 
theory  is  accepted  of  ''  the  greatest  good  for  the 
greatest  number."     This  is  easily  stated;  but  who 


74  APPENDIX. 

shall  define  the  limits  in  any  direction.  How  large 
ought  a  church  to  be  in  order  to  secure  the  best 
results?  When  the  advantages  and  disadvantages 
of  extreme  types  are  compared,  it  seems  fair  to 
say  that  a  vigorous  suburban  church  in  the  vicinity 
of  a  great  metropolis  will  be  found  better  adapted  to 
secure  good  results  than  any  other  sort.  Look  at 
the  huge  overgrown  churches  in  a  center  of  popu- 
lation, and  at  the  feeble  church  of  a  hamlet  remote 
from  the  city,  and  compare  the  practical-  life  of 
each. 

A  remarkable  community  exists  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  New  York.  Within  a  radius  of  thirty  miles 
there  is  a  vast  population,  so  distributed  in  space 
and  yet  so  provided  with  means  for  transportation 
that  a  near  approach  to  the  ideal  of  church  life  is 
possible.  In  that  region  the  churches  are  so  or- 
ganized and  controlled  that  they  share  to  a  re- 
markable extent  in  both  the  advantages  of  the  city 
and  of  the  country.  A  distinct  type  of  congrega- 
tional life  is  here  developed,  free  from  some  of  the 
peculiar  difficulties  that  beset  the  extreme  forms. 
It  is  possible  to  maintain  a  high  standard  in  many 
particulars,  and  yet  to  be  free  from  the  peculiar 
burdens  that  are  inherent  in  other  conditions. 
This  becomes  possible  through  a  singular  blending 
of  the  characteristics  of  city  and  of  country  life. 
No  one  would  deny  that  a  very  large  church  in  a 
great  commercial  metropolis  has  certain  advan- 
tages, e.  g.,  in  its  strong  financial  condition.  But 
does  not  such  a  church  pay  dear  for  its  vigor  in  the 


APPENDIX.  75 

sacrifice  of  some  other  blessings?  Is  not  the  fam- 
ily notion  of  a  mutual  relation  among  the  members 
almost  extinct?  For  example,  in  that  great  mass- 
meeting  m  London,  associated  with  the  name  of 
Mr.  Spurgeon,  the  family  idea  of  a  church,  as  we 
see  it  in  village  life,  is  absolutely  impossible.  In 
many  of  our  large  city  churches  there  is  no  pre- 
tense of  any  real  acquaintance,  or  mutual  interest. 
On  the  other  hand,  in  the  very  small  churches  such 
as  abound  in  agricultural  districts,  the  family 
ideal  can  be  maintained,  for  each  individual  mem- 
ber knows  all  the  rest.  But  such  a  church  is  usu- 
ally weak  in  its  treasury,  and  is  at  a  sad  disad- 
vantage in  many  other  w^ays. 

In  a  place  like  Cranford  the  most  favorable  con- 
ditions are  realizejd.  The  congregation  is  large 
enough  to  meet  its  business  obligations  easily,  and 
yet  not  so  large  as  to  forfeit  the  central  idea  of 
church  life.  Mutual  acquaintance  is  possible,  and 
the  organization  of  church  work, — the  making  up 
of  different  boards,  the  election  of  of^ficers, — is  such 
as  to  give  a  definite  duty  to  quite  a  large  number 
of  persons.  Thus  a  relatively  large  percentage  of 
the  members  may  be  identified  with  the  handling 
of  affairs,  and  so  the  church  is  strong  in  the  affec- 
tions of  many  individuals.  Other  things  being 
equal,  it  is  desirable  to  assign  to  every  man  some 
duty  in  direct  connection  with  the  framework  of 
the  congregation.  In  a  vast  assembly  of  a  thou- 
sand members  or  more,  any  such  scheme  is  simply 
out  of  the  question. 


76  APPENDIX. 

Our  American  churches  are  for  the  most  part  or- 
ganized on  the  principle  of  having  but  a  single 
ordained  man  in  connection  with  each.  If  this  rule 
is  to  hold  good,  then  it  must  follow  that  the  circle 
of  people  attached  to  each  should  be  small.  For 
no  single  pastor  can  possibly  do  all  that  is  required 
in  a  large  society,  and  do  the  minute  work  as  well. 
Pastoral  visitation  in  the  old  sense  is  practically 
given  up  in  many  of  our  city  parishes,  simply  be- 
cause it  has  become  impossible  with  the  advance 
of  other  demands. 

Statistics  show  that  there  is  a  very  high  standard 
of  physical  well-being  in  this  suburban  community; 
and  we  are  not  surprised  to  find  that  the  same  law 
prevails  in  the  ecclesiastical  world.  Given  a  happy 
combination  of  traits,  a  union  of  city  vigor  and 
country  freedom,  and  surely  w^e  ought  to  have  a 
delightful  form  of  experience.  History  justifies  the 
expectations  and  the  instincts  of  those  who  set  in 
motion  this  train  of  causes.  It  is  impossible  for 
such  a  body  of  people,  with  their  constant  coming 
and  going,  to  get  out  of  sympathy  with  the  active 
movements  of  the  world.  And  it  is  equally  impos- 
sible for  them  to  lose  the  consciousness  which 
comes  to  their  inmost  being  through  contact  with 
nature,  in  her  purity  and  beauty — her  grass,  trees, 
and  warm  summer  wind. 

It  is  fair  to  ask  the  question,  squarely  and  hon- 
estly, What  do  we  gain  by  proximity  to  a  great 
commercial  center?  Is  there  any  clear,  definable 
advantage  in  it?    Yes.     We  are  in  daily  conscious 


APPENDIX. 


77 


touch  with  the  throbbing-,  warm  heart  of  collective 
humanity,  and  the  keen,  intellectual  life.  W'e  gain 
breadth,  generosity,  large  views,  energy  of  admin- 
istration, and  promptness  to  take  advantage  of  new 
conditions. 

Again,  What  do  we  gain  from  an  actual  resi- 
dence in  the  country?  We  gain  a  quiet,  restful, 
conservative  spirit.  There  is  the  very  important 
matter  of  physical  welfare,  in  which  the  advantage 
of  the  country  is  instantly  apparent  to  all.  Espe- 
cially is  it  a  blessing  for  children  to  have  the  green 
fields  and  the  blue  sky,  as  over  against  the  inter- 
minable brick  and  stone  of  a  metropolitan  resi- 
dence. 

In  considering  such  questions  it  should  be  borne 
in  mind  that  the  old  conditions  of  life  have  passed 
away  forever.  The  great  increase  in  population 
and  wealth  has  introduced  a  new  order  of  afifairs. 
Time  was  when  a  first-class  Xew^  York  City  man 
of  business  resided  with  his  family  in  apartments 
over  his  own  store,  and  at  noon  he  w^nt  upstairs 
to  dinner.  His  apprentices  lodged  and  boarded 
with  their  employer,  and  the  "  commutation  ticket  " 
was  unknown.  But  that  day  has  passed  away  like 
a  dream.  The  population  is  so  enormously  increased 
that  both  employer  and  employees  must  travel 
to  distant  points  for  their  lodgings;  and  the  in- 
flux of  commuters  into  the  city  in  the  morning  is 
something  to  make  the  w^orld  stare.  The  roar  of 
traffic  is  tenfold  increased,  and  the  demands  of 
trade  are  imperious,  so  that  the  motto  is  "  Sink  or 


78  APPENDIX. 

swim."  Under  such  conditions  it  is  a  rest  to  body 
and  mind,  to  soul  and  temper,  for  a  man  to  escape 
from  the  whirlpool  and  be  a  dweller  in  the  rural 
regions,  at  least  for  certain  hours  out  of  the 
twenty-four.  And  remembering  the  natural  in- 
firmities of  human  character,  we  may  regard  it  as 
an  advantage  also  from  the  point  of  view  of  social 
relations.  It  is  better  that  personal  residence 
should  be  entirely  distinct  from  all  matters  of  busi- 
ness rivalries.  It  is  pleasanter  for  a  gentleman  who 
is  in  the  hurly-burly  of  sharp  city  competition,  that 
he  should  not  occupy  a  pew  at  church  next  to  that 
filled  by  his  commercial  enemy. 

In  the  comparative  newness  of  these  suburban 
towns  there  is  also  a  remarkable  freedom  from  the 
traditional  jealousies  that  are  so  often  the  plague  of 
older  centers.  Family  quarrels  sadly  disfigure  the 
records  of  some  hamlets,  and  the  obligation  to 
carry  on  the  feud  is  handed  down  from  generation 
to  generation.  From  all  such  follies  the  small  town 
is  free  when  it  draws  its  business  life  and  inspira- 
tion from  a  first-class  city.  This  is  largely  due  to 
the  rapid  change  going  on  at  such  points.  Men  are 
coming  and  going,  so  that  there  is  hardly  time 
enough  to  develop  any  serious  bitterness  between 
families.  A  long  residence  in  the  same  locality  is 
very  likely  to  beget  a  narrow  spirit,  when  there  is 
no  antidote.  But  the  nearness  of  a  powerful  com- 
mercial metropolis  is  just  such  an  antidote,  and  the 
characteristic  dangers  of  a  rural  life  at  a  wide  remove 
from  activity    cease  to  imperil  the   moral  nature. 


APPENDIX.  yg 

when  there  is  communication  of  the  sort  to  which 
we  have  referred.  In  a  healthy  suburban  churchy 
not  only  men  do  not  quarrel,  but  they  form  active 
and  pleasant  friendships,  they  become  acquainted 
in  and  through  the  church,  and  the  Hfe,  both  social 
and  ecclesiastical,  is  a  delightful  and  a  natural  one. 
Is  there  any  serious  counterbalancing  evil,  which 
tends  to  cancel  the  advantages  suggested?  Not 
if  the  circumstances  are  fairly  considered.  It  is 
sometimes  argued  that  the  suburban  type  of  char- 
acter is  selfish,  narrow,  and  unsocial.  It  may  be 
true  that  the  typical  resident  of  such  a  village  is  not 
so  much  inclined  to  go  abroad  in  the  evenings  as 
his  city  cousin,  but  we  must  remember  the  circum- 
stances that  make  it  more  difficult  for  him  to  do 
so.  And  the  charge  of  stinginess  is  completely  set 
aside  when  we  recognize  the  contrasts,  in  numbers 
and  in  many  particulars.  It  may  very  well  be  that 
the  city  church  gives  larger  sums  in  charity;  but 
bear  in  mind  that  the  city  church  is  from  four  to 
ten  times  as  large  in  its  membership.  It  turns  out 
in  many  cases  where  a  city  congregation  is  held 
up  to  us  as  a  type,  that  the  said  congregation  has 
fifteen  hundred  or  eighteen  hundred  members. 
Therefore,  to  make  a  fair  comparison,  we  ought  to 
take  six  or  eight  ordinary  suburban  churches  over 
against  the  one,  as  the  basis  of  comparison.  If  this 
were  done  it  would  quickly  appear  that  there  is  not 
much  difference,  after  all.  But  the  long  journey 
to  and  fro  in  the  morning  and  at  night  does  tell 
in  one  way.     It  is  not  helpful  to  the  prayer  meet- 


8o  APPENDIX. 

ing,  the  Bible  class,  the  normal  class,  and  the  social 
or  fraternal  visit.  In  regard  to  these  matters  we 
must  be  on  our  guard,  and  not  allow  the  demands 
of  business  to  cut  us  ofT  entirely  from  the  various 
means  of  culture  provided  in  our  churches. 

God  has  been  very  gracious  to  us  in  this  country 
in  providing  the  material  basis  for  our  prosperity, 
and  in  opening  up  before  us  the  moral  and  spiritual 
opportunities  afforded  by  these  conditions  in  towns 
and  villages  that  cluster  about  the  great  cities. 
May  He  always  keep  our  American  life  pure  and 
clean;  and  when  we  study  the  actual  present  facts, 
when  we  look  at  the  churches  both  as  to  number 
and  quality,  we  feel  as  the  great  Apostle  did  when 
the  brethren  met  him  at  Appii  Forum.  ''  Whom 
when  Paul  saw,  he  thanked  God  and  took  courage." 


